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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




EXTRACTS 



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BY 



ALBERT 0. MARSHALL 



PRESEKTED WITH THE :flUTHOWS COMPLIMENTS. 




ARMY LIFE 



FROM A SOLDIER'S JOURNAL 



(Copyrighted.) 



BY 

/ 

ALBERT O. MARSHALL, 



incid?:nts, sketches and record of a union 
soldier's army life in camp and field} 



1861-64. ^„„^^^^ 

SPECIAL EDITION. X^^WASHlS^'^ 



TRIiNTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 



/ 



JOLIET, ILL. 



El4>0l 



t\ -^n 



PEEFACE. 



Books are merely word pictures. The true artist 
makes the scene upon tlie canvas appear life-like and 
'ictual. 

It has been truly said, that if the biography of 
any man, however humble his station, were written 
so truthful and complete as to display his whole inner 
and outer life, from the cradle to the grave, it would 
be immortal. To write such a biography is impossi- 
ble. The writer, like the painter, only produces a 
likeness; neither creates the real. 

Many histories of the late war have been written, a 
perusal of which calls to mind my own soldier life; 
and in reading of the brave deeds of many officers, as 
recorded, the thought has often occurred to me, that 
the simple story of the private soldier's actual army 
life would not be devoid of interest. 

Turning occasionally to my army journal, after 
these many years, tlie sketches written from time to 
time by the light of the evening camp fires, appear to 
me, deeply interesting. They may, perhaps, be en- 
tertaining to otl ei's. 

The preservation of the little memorandum books 
in whicli my army journal was written is al- 

(7) 



8 PliEFACE. 

most iriiraciiloiis. The knapsack in wLicli they were 
carried, was often left behind on some forced march, 
or just before a battle. Other kna}3sacks were lost. 
Bnttln'ongli all the varied changes, dangers and vicis- 
situdes of three 3^ears of a soldier's life at the front, 
on the march, in bivouac and battle, this knapsack 
was never so mislaid or lost as not to bring along its 
little army journal. These memoranda are simply 
jottings, made rather as a pastime than with any 
thought of future use, or of their being of sufficient 
value to send home for safe keeping; an army blanket 
was then more highly prized and carefully guarded; 
yet with all the neglect and hazard attending its jour- 
ney, this journal always returned and was at the mus- 
ter out, or these pages could not have been presented. 

^o published histories nor public records have been 
consulted in compiling this volume. It contains only 
such matters as were, at the time, deemed of sufHcient 
interest to be noted in my army journaL 

In reviewing this army journal, I discover that 
many things written at the age of twenty appear crude 
and incomplete, twenty years thereafter. A t this time 
I have sometimes felt inclined to erase the words of 
youthful enthusiasm, wild extravagance, or, perhaps, 
boyish foolishness, found therein. Such correction 
would, however, leave the picture less vivid, distinct 
and real. Hence, with but little change, or even ver- 
bal alterations, and omitting only such peculiar per- 
sonal matters as no one need ask nor expect to see, 
the pages are presented as they were written twenty 
years ago. 

When it is remembered that a majority of the pri- 



Pkeface. 9 

vate soldiers were, at enlistment, between the ages of 
sixteen and twenty-three, it will be realized that a 
true picture of their soldier life must, of necessity, 
portray a youthful and immature one. 

If my comrades of the great Union army, when 
reading these reminiscences are carried back, in mem- 
ory, to the old camp fires and army scenes — if their 
friends in reading the storj^ can, in imagination, see 
what the soldiers endured and what they accomplished, 
my object is attained. I have made no attempt to 
write a war, nor even a regimental history; but this 
little book is submitted for simply what it claims to 

be A PICTUKE OF A PRIVATE SOLDIEr's ARMY LIFE. 

A. O. M. 

JoLiET, III., 1883. 



ARMY LIFE 

FROM A SOLDIER'S JOURNAL. 



CHAPTER I. 

LEAVING HOME. 

The eleventh day of September, dnrinir the event- 
ful year of 1861, found me riding at railroad speed 
down the Cliicago and Alton road, on my way from 
my Will county home, to Camp Butler at Spring- 
field, Illinois, where I was to join the ariny, shoulder 
a musket, and go forth to the bloody fields of battle 
to fight for the grand cause of Country and Liberty. 

I will not attempt to portray the varied emotions I 
felt upon this, to me, long to be remembered day. 
Such emotions as any young man must feel when 
leaving the dearest of home associations, the kindest 
of friendly relations, the most cherished and valued 
school privileges; leaving all of these for the first 
time, and that, too, not as fond anticipation had often 
promised, to mingle in the common contests of active 
life, but for the uncertain, desperate battle field, by 
and by to return, perhaps — perhaps not. Attempt- 
ing to throw the veil of forgetfulness over these 
memories I will let this journal recount other thought.s 
and scenes. 

(11) 



12 Army Life, 

Tlie day was bright and beautiful; one of tlie fair- 
est of early Autumn. Tlie journey passed swifily 
and pleasantly. 

FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE THIRTY-TIIIRD. 

Iliad decided to join the Thirty- third Illinois (for- 
mal) Eeo^iment. At Blooniington two intelliirent and 
accomplished hidies joined the passengers for Spring- 
field. I was mucli pleased to learn that tliey were 
acquainted with the Normal Regiment, to which, in 
fact, they were on tlie way to make a visit. One was 
the wife of Colonel Plovey of the Thirty-third and the 
other a sister of a young man, lately from the Nor- 
mal school, and now orderly sergeant of the company 
I intended to join. With one exception tliey were 
the first n:iembers of the Normal Reo^iment — which 
they were in spirit and interest, if not in fact — I had 
ever met. 

If the regiment sustains even a small part of the 
good impression created in its favor by this first 
meeting with any of its members, it will prove to be 
one of the best regiments that Illinois or any State 
can send to the field. 

We arrived at Springfield at sundown. Jumping 
into a carriage I was soon in Camp Butler and the 
camp of the Thirty-third shown to me. I then found 
Company A and was furnished with soldier quarters 
for the night. 

FIRST NIGHT IN CAMP — YOUNG SOLDIERS ON GUARD. 

I lay down with the soldiers, but sleep was out of 



At Spkingfield, III., September, 1861. 13 

the question. Of all the strange and queer racket and 
sound ever heard, none could exceed the unearthly 
clamor made by a large number of young volunteei-s 
during the first few nights they are in camp. One 
soldier near my tent kept up a continual yell, of, as I 
thouglit, " corporal-of-the- guard- want -something- to- 
eat." This early evidence of starvation in camp raised 
rather dubious suggestions when I thoughtof ourfuture 
prospects. As he continued to yell louder and louder, 
instead of ceasing, at last I became vexed, as I sup- 
posed he was only yelling for fun, and was about 
ready to go out and try the virtue of throwing a brick 
at his head, merely as a gentle hint for him to cease 
such unreasonable midnight howling, when one of the 
boys in our tent, Charley Huston, an old soldier — he 
had been in the army three full weeks — informed me 
tliat the soldier was on guard and was only trying to 
utter the simple call of, ''corporal of the guard No. 
17," which meant that he w^anted such officer to come 
to his post for some reason or other. Thus it appeared 
that the soldier was only doing his duty and not 
merely yelling nonsense as I had supposed. How he 
had been able to give such a plain call the sound I 
first heard I am unable to understand. 

Although the commotion appeared to subside a 
little as night advanced, yet it seemed to be only so 
that it could become more dismal and hideous. Thus 
the night's confusion continued with all the wild and 
weird variations possible until the early Teveille of 
the next morning called up those thousands of enthu- 
siastic young soldiers, who soon transformed the 
hideous, fantastic scene of a dark, foggy night camp, 



14 Army Life, 

into a grand and bewildering sea of life, action and 
labor. Thus passed my first night in camp. 

THE NORMAL REGIMENT. 

The original idea of having the I^ormal Eegiment 
contain onl_y\young men ol literary aspirations and hab- 
its, had not been insisted upon as strictly as at first had 
been intended. And yet, the regiment contained many 
who had left schools and colleges to join the army; 
many who well deserved the name of "Student sol- 
diers of Illinois." Taken altogether, the regiment 
appears to well deserve the honor of carrying through 
the war the name, Normal Tiegiment, and being thus 
identified with that favorite school of the Prairie 
State, the ISTormal University. 

My. first acquaintances were among Company A. 
Of course, I. was more interested in them than in 
others, as they were to be my immediate associates 
and comrades for the next three years. Among them 
w^ere quite a number of students from the Normal 
University — and a noble class of young men they 
were — some from* other colleges, others were school 
teachers, and quite a large number had come from the 
best class of farmer boys, who were, many of them, 
equal, if not superior, in intelligence and all soldierly 
qualities, to their college comrades. 

Many good people w^ould regret to see so many 
bright and promising young men rushing to meet 
the deadly exposure of camp life and the battle field. 
It is indeed, a sad, a terrible thought. Still if it 
proves to be the will of Heaven that they should fall, 



At Camp Butler — Sworn In. 15 

why should friends at home mourn? If they were 
to h"ve for ages, when could they again have an op- 
portunity to give their, lives to support and uphold a 
nobler, a better cause? In these trying days how 
often has the thought been repeated in thousands of 
earnest hearts: If I have not my loved country to 
live in, I have nothing to live for. If this is to be 
its end, let it also be mine. Such a cause thus sup- 
ported, thus maintained, must be right and in the end 
must surely win. 

SWOEN IN. 

I was sworn into the service on the fourteenth day 
of September. Only four others were sworn in at the 
same time. The medical examination was skipped in 
my case. The doctor simply bowed to me pleasantly 
and said: "I guess you will make a good soldier." 
The company had been mustered and fully organized 
before I joined it. All the ofticers had been elected, 
commissioned and appointed, and every thing was in 
working order. 

I was somewhat amused to see the reluctance with 
which our officers, at my direction, inserted the word 
*' farmer " instead of " student " in the column of the 
muster-rolls headed " occupation." They were anx- 
ious to have all who had left universities to join the 
army entered on the rolls as "• students." But being 
a farmer boy I preferred to enlist as one. 

MY FIRST SABBATH IN CAMP. 

Sunday, the fifteenth, was my first Sabbath in camp. 



16 Army Life, 

There was not any religious services in our regiment, 
so I sought relief from the long, dull hours by visiting, 
reading and writing letters home. As if to remind 
us of the holiness of the day, which seemed to have 
been almost forgotten, one of our regiment was called 
from anions: us to meet his Maker. This was the 
second death in the regiment. 

A FULL DKESSED SOLDIER. 

On Monday I drew my uniform and soon was in full 
soldier trim. Got a very good, well fitting suit of 
clothes. Felt quite soldier-like. From what prouder 
position could a young man of tliis noble country 
desire to commence active life, than that of a free 
American soldier? And should he die in this cause, 
every good Christian will admit that he ought to go 
right straight to Pleaven. 

MARCHING ORDERS — HURRAH ! 

On Tuesday, September seventeenth, in answer to the 
sudden call, '' Fall in," our company was immediately 
assembled together. We were then informed that we 
were likely to soon move to the front, and ordered to 
be ready to march at an hour's notice. " Hurrah ! Hur- 
rah, boys ! ! Hu rrah ! ! !" What a yell rang and echoed 
and re-echoed through the camp and woods, until the 
staunch old oaks themselves seemed to have caught 
the ii.spiration and vibrated with the wild enthusi- 
asm. The boys threw their hats liigh in the air, ran, 
jumped, tumbled, hallooed and yelled until they were 
hoarse and exhausted. In fact I never saw boys or 



Learning to Use the KNArsACK, etc. 17 

men so wild, so entluislastic, so delighted as tliose of 
the Thirty-third were wlien the order came for them 
to leave Camp Butler and start for the seat of war. 
All the afternoon every thing and every one was in 
the greatest commotion. Tiie strange excitement and 
enthusiasm continued at the highest pitch. And such 
excitement, such enthusiasm! It seemed in fact as 
tliough each and everyone was a powerful electric bat- 
tery charged to the full and overflowing wntli the 
electricit}^, created by tlie wild enthusiasm of that 
hour. It appeared as though they thought that the 
greatest events of a thousand eventful years had been 
combined and condensed into one brief moment of 
time, and the victory of them all given to the boys of 
tlie Thirty-third in those brief commands: "To the 
front," "Prepare for active service." 

LEARNIiXG TO USE THE KNAPSACK, ETC. 

Our knapsacks, haversacks and canteens were is- 
sued to us at once. Many funny scenes occurred as 
the young soldier boys were trying to understand the 
new, and to them, curious soldier trappings. Each 
commenced trying to solve the unknown mystery at 
once. Most of the soldiers could, at first sight, un- 
derstand the use for which the different articles were 
designed, but the more awkward ones made some 
laughable blunders. The canteens being simply a 
round tin water flask vvith flat sides and a strap at- 
tached to carrj^ it by, so plainly showed for what it 
was intended that all could understand its use at once, 
except a few of those odd fellows who never under- 
stand anything, and who were laughed at for the way 



18 Army Life, 

in which they explained their supposed powder-horns. 
This was the only mistake made with the canteens, 
unless the enthusiastic indorsement of one soldier 
could be called a mistake, who, when he received his 
canteen, earnestly embraced it and spontaneously ex- 
claimed, "What a neat and convenient thing to carry 
a drop of whisky in to have in case of accident." 

The knapsacKS with their different parts, pockets, 
and straps, puzzled them more. The haversacks 
being simply a canvas bag with a strap attached 
long enough to go over the shoulders, were so plain 
and simple that they could, as they erroneously sup- 
posed, understand its use at once. By the time a single 
blanket was crowded into it, the haversack, never in- 
tended for such purpose, was full and running over, and 
the perplexed and bewildered soldier would look with 
blank astonishment and comical dismay at the large 
pile of necessary blankets and clothing for which he 
had no room. By this time the more dexterous ones 
had solved the mystery of their knapsacks and with 
them fully packed were trying them in position on 
their backs. Upon looking at the more ingenious 
ones, the unhappy and confused soldiers began to see 
where they were wrong, and soon understood that the 
haversacks they had been trying to use as a bag for 
their blankets and clothing was only designed for a 
dinner bag. "With the help of their more efficient 
comrades the awkward soldiers learned how to pack 
their knapsacks. In this way even the dullest volun- 
teer was set right as to the different and proper uses 
of the knapsack, haversack and canteen, and we were 
soon pronounced to be all in marching order. 



We Leave Camp Butler. 19 

GOING — BUT WHERE TO? STRIKING TENTS. 

Althongli we have received orders to be ready to 
march at an hour's notice, we do not know when we 
will start nor whither we are to go. Some try to 
guess, but it is no use. Ah-eady every place from 
Washington to Texas has been mentioned. The only 
thing we seem to be certain about is, that we are go- 
ing: somewhere. 

The next day we completed our arrangements for 
leaving Camp Butler. Many of the soldiers had 
clothing, books, etc., which they could not take with 
them. Such things were disposed of in different ways; 
some were given or thrown away; some, Yankee like, 
traded off; and others sent to friends at home. Every 
thing being ready we impatiently waited for marching 
ordei's. 

At five o'clock in the afternoon the welcome, 
anxiously-waited- for order came: " Strike tents." No 
sooner said than done. Even now the laugh went 
round at the expense of two or three wildly enthusi- 
astic, awkward ones who, this being the first time 
they had heard this command, had taken the order 
exactly as given and with the nearest clubs at hand 
were hastening to vigorously perform their share of 
" striking tents." Our zealous friends soon learned 
that to '' strike tents" did not mean, like " whipping 
carpets," to vigorously pound them with a stick, but 
to take them down. A thousand willing hands seized 
the tents, took them down, rolled them up and loaded 
them on the wagons and we were really to start. 

It was now generally understood that we had been 



20 Army Life, 

ordered to "Wasliington. We marclied out to onr last 
parade at Camp Butler. Colonel Hovej was absent 
from camp. He was in the city of Springfield arrang- 
ing for our departure. Major Koe on horseback 
was in command of the regiment, lie made a few 
happy remarks which were enthusiasticallj^ cheered 
by the comm.and. We marched from the camp to the 
public road, and supposed that we were now fairly on 
the way; but just as we were starting for the railroad 
depot we were ordered to stop a few minutes. The 
few minutes ran into hours. It turned out that we 
had to stay waiting on the roadside all night expect- 
ing? every moment to start forward. Waiting for 
what? Waiting, as we afterward learned, for Uncle 
Sam to make up his mind where he wished to send us. 
Colonel llovey and our other officers, so it was under- 
stood, were anxious to cast their fortunes and the 
future of the regiment with the Western army and 
not with that of the East. Finally the order for us to 
go to Washington, in response to much telegraphing, 
was countermanded and \ve were sent to Missouri. 

FIRST MARCH. 

After lying upon the roadside all night we got 
np at an early hour and returned to our old camp, 
where we took an early breakfast and then mai-ched 
to Jimtown, the nearest railroad station. 

Our first march, although a short one, only two and 
a half miles, was to us a hard one. Lying as we did 
by the roadside.all night, expecting every moment to 
be called into line to go to the supposed waiting rail- 



On the Way to Missouri. 21 

road train, with little cliance to sleep or keep warm 
during all the long hours of a chilly September night, 
did not have a tendency to put us in an extra good 
marching trim. Besides this, we were all heavily 
overloaded. Eacli was carrying about as heavy a load 
as he could lift. And tlien our knapsacks, the awk- 
ward things, would not set right; or rather perhaps 
we did not know how to make them do so; something 
was wrong. Going in this condition, by the 'time our 
little march was ended, many of the young and un- 
seasoned soldiers were completely exhausted. This, 
it must be confessed, was rather a poor beginning for 
soldiers who liad such high expectations of the great 
wanders they were to accomplish when opportunity 
offered. 

JIMTOAVN. 

We took the cars at Jimtown; such at least was 
given as the name of the place where we took the 
cars when leaving Camp Butler. The city— if it is 
ever to be one — at the time we were there consisted, 
according to my recollection, of quite a number of 
substantial, erect and well preserved white oak stumps, 
one corn crib and a small house upon the side of one 
of the hills. 

ON THE ROAD FROM SPRINGFIELD TO ST. LOUIS. 

The train was waiting for us. Embarking took 
but a sliort time. The sight of the snorting railroad 
enirine waiting to start us on our journey to some 
more war-like lands, seemed to bring back the enthu- 



22 Army Life. 

siasrii of the previous day. Every one was revived 
as if by magic and at once forgot tiie weariness 
caused by our lirst march. All were soon on the cars, 
the tents and everything loaded, all readj^, and away 
we went. 

"We had a very pleasant ride over the grand prai- 
ries of Illinois, down to Alton and thence along tlie 
river to St. Louis. The sympathy and earnest good 
will extended to us by the noble-hearted, loyal and 
true people of Illinois, whose free and happy homes 
we were so rapidly passing, was unbounded. At 
every city, village and farm house the citizens and 
inmates, men, women and children, all would come 
out to cheer us on our way and bid us an earnest, 
heartfelt " God bless you." From Springfield to St. 
Louis our route was lined with flying flags and wav- 
ing handkerchiefs. It seemed as though all the peo- 
ple were our own, well known neighbors and friends. 

The neatest, best part, was to see the pretty girls, 
the blooming maidens, the farmer's daughters as they 
came tripping across the fields to wish us — many of 
us hoped that it might not prove to be the last — timid 
yet earnest *'good-by." Perhaps there is more truth 
than would at first appear in the spontaneous words 
of one soldier, who could not help exclaiming: " If 
every man in the United States was a farmer's daugh- 
ter, there would not be any rebels for us to fight. '-' 
Most certain it is that, if all hearts were as loyal and 
true as those that beat within the breasts of the kind 
and noble daughters of our Illinois farmers, there 
would riot be any bloody, treason-stained hands in the 
land. 



Loyal Daughters of the Prairie State. 23 

At Alton we stopped a short time. This delay gave 
the soldiers an opportunity to buy a fresh supply of 
fruit, cakes, pies, etc. It was strongly suspected that 
a few had something stronger than "cold coffee" in 
their canteens, which they insisted was what tliey had 
purchased. A peculiar kind of cold coffee no doubt. 
One which, the colder it was, the hotter it became. 
Its use was not general. One intoxicated man was all 
I saw in our entire regiment. (This was, please re- 
member, before we had learned to be old soldiers. At 
that time it was thought to be very wrong for a sol- 
dier to get drunk.) 

When we first arrived at Alton we expected to take 
a steamboat and sail down the river to St. Louis. As 
the boat which was to take us would not be ready to 
start for several hours, it having part of a cargo to un- 
load, it was decided that w^e should continue by rail. 
This was quite a disappointment to the soldiers, es- 
])ecially those, of whom there were many, who had 
never had a steamboat ride. We were soon under way 
again and arrived at Illinoistown on the Mississippi 
river, opposite St. Louis, at night. As it was now too 
late to cross over the river, we took up quarters in the 
railroad station houses, where we passed the night 
quite comfortably. 

The next morning we went aboard the steamboat 
Louisiana and crossed over to St. Louis. This little 
trip somewhat reconciled the boys to the loss of yes- 
terday's anticipated ride. Although it was a short 
one, not quite two miles in length, still it will bear 
the name of a steamboat ride, and by many of us will 
long be remembered, not only as our first steamboat 



24: Army Life, 

ride, but also as the first time we were ever upon the 
waters of the grand old Mississippi river. 

FROM ST. LOUIS TO PILOT KNOB. 

We stopped in St. Lonis only long enough to unload 
from the steamboat and re-load on the railroad cars. 
As onr freight consisted onlj of camp equipage and a 
small supply of rations, tlie work of transferring was 
soon done and we were ready to start forward. The 
sharp railroad whistles sounded, Colonel Ilovey acting 
as railroad conductor for our traiUjCried, " All aboard," 
and we were on our way for Pilot Knob. 

Through that part of Missouri which we passed the 
people seemed to be loyal at heart and cheered us with 
nearly the same hearty enthusiasm as that which 
greeted us in Illinois. If we liad not known the fact, 
we would not, from what we saw, have believed that 
we were travelino^ in a slave State. 



CIIAPTEE 11. 

AT PILOT KNOB. 

It was late at night when we arrived at Pilot Knob, 
too late to pitch tents, so we spread them on the 
ground for a bed and slept upon them with nothing 
over us except the starry sky during our first night 
in Missouri. " Pitch tents," does not, like " pitching 
quoits," mean to throw them as far as you can but, to 



At Pilot Knob, September, ISGl. 25 

erect them. In the aniiy the order is, " pitch tents," 
when tliey are to be put np, and " strike tents " when 
they are to be taken down. 

We found the Seventh Nebraska, the Twenty -first 
Illinois Infantry and part of the Seventh Indiana 
Cavalry at Pilot Knob. They talked mysteriously of 
unknown bauds of rebels being in force at various 
surrounding points and in threatening proximity. 
They appeared anxious upon one point at least, that 
it should- be understood that they were doing very im- 
portant duty in a military point of view. 

To iudo-e bv the talk of volunteers who have for the 
first time found themselves within fifty miles of an 
armed enemy, one would think that all the great 
issues of the entire war depended upon their valor. 
Of course we soon learned to do our part in this line. 
But a few weeks had passed before every circle in 
camp was nightly enlivened by the recital of the im- 
portant and eventful exploits that some of our young 
heroes had performed. Every scouting expedition of 
es^en two miles distance multiplied the numbers of 
wondrous deeds accomplished. He was a poor sol- 
dier, indeed, who could not at least add his one little 
story to the countless number nightly recounted. It 
was estimated by the more prudent and wise ones, that 
our regiment had, to say the least, already done enough 
to make its name historic. 

The Twenty-first Illinois put on airs because their 
first colonel, an officer by the name of Grant, was acting 
as a brigadier-general and in command of a small 
force at Cairo. 



26 Army Life. 

on pilot knob. 

We arrived at Pilot Knob at a late hour on Friday, 
September twentieth. As we were not to move on Sat- 
urday, the noted mountain of iron, Pilot Knob, from 
which the village received its name, claimed our first at- 
tention. Every one was anxious to climb over its iron 
sides and surmount its highest point. Permission 
was granted and we started forward in high glee. In 
a short time that gigantic mountain of iron was a 
grand sight to behold. It was completely covered 
with curious and impetuous soldiers. Upon every point 
and crag they could be seen, clambering, laughing and 
racing until they swarmed upon the topmost peaks. 
As they gathered at the top they could be seen swing- 
ing their hats high in the air as they gave cheer after 
cheer for the Union, for the flag and for the country 
we all love so well, until the stern old iron mountain 
seemed itself to reply with redoubled echoes. To see 
those earnest young men thus faithfully remember- 
ing their country and their country's flag in the 
midst of the enjoyment caused by their first visit to 
a place they had so often read about in their school- 
boy days, was enough to warm the coldest heart to the 
highest enthusiasm. 

OUR GUNS. 

The time granted for us to visit the mountain ex- 
pired, and we returned to our camp at the village. 
Upon arriving there we were called into line and 
marched to the quartermaster's quarters and he issued 
our guns to '^s. Colonel Ilovey had procured them at 



Our Guns. 27 

the arsenal in St. Louis when we came iihrough. There 
was no time to issue them to us then, so they were 
brought down on the cars in tlie same trains with us 
in the boxes as received. It seems strange soldiering 
this. A lot of green country boys, undrilled, undis- 
ciplined and without a single weapon in their hands, 
with no training as to how to use them if they had, going 
as it were into the very face of an armed enemy in 
such a destitute and helpless condition. Thus it was 
our war commenced. 

The guns we drew were muskets of a European 
make, said tx^ be some of those purchased for our 
Government by General Fremont. The boys were 
very much disappointed. They had expected to get 
some of the best rifles in use. They had enlisted with 
the understanding that this regiment was to be armed 
with the Enfield rifles, or better, if better were to be 
had. It was to be the crack regiment of the State, you 
know. Every regiment organized was formed upon 
the idea that it was without fail to be number one, 
the especial favorite and pride of the Union army. 

Expecting to get the best rifles and then to get a 
musket — and such a musket! Phew! A musket that 
needed the services of a skillful engineer to run it suc- 
cessfully. To load one of them: commence by taking 
a cartridge out of the cartridge-box, tear off the end 
of it and pour the powder down in the gun, then place 
the ball in after the powder; now go for the long iron 
ramrod, which must be pulled out of its pocket, in- 
serted in the mouth of the gun, and with it drive 
the ball down upon the powder; then take out the 
ramrod and return it to its own pocket. At this stage 



28 Army Life, 

of the proceeding, with a decent gun, a percussion cap 
would be taken from its box, the hammer of the gun 
raised, and the cap placed upon the gun tube, but 
these guns do not go off with a simple little percussion 
cap such as we are acquainted with. No, indeed. 
First, the hammer must be raised and then a little 
trap door mast be opened, then a funny little primer 
about two thirds of an inch in length with a pretty 
little wire string attached, must be taken from its box 
and inserted "just so" in a cunning little pocket, and 
then the amusing little trap door must be carefully 
closed dow^n over it, and thus go through all of this 
elaborate ceremony before the gun can be loaded. 
These guns must be intended for soldiers who go out 
and fire one shot and then return leisurely to camp and 
go back the next day to fire the second volley. But they 
are so cunning. Yes, just as cunning as a little red 
wagon and probably about as dangerous. They are a 
smooth bore gun and the charge contains one ball and 
three buck shot. They are good for nothing except at 
short rano^e, and even at that but little better than a 
common shot gun and much more complicated and 
unliand}^ In every respect except for use as a club, 
w^here their weight would be available, a double bar- 
relled shot gun would be far more desirable. These 
guns were a poor apology for those the members of our 
regiment had expected; the promised rifles with 
which they could pick off a rebel with perfect ease at a 
distance of nine hundred yards. 

AN ACCIDENT. 

This morning, Saturday, a serious accident occurred 



In 'Camp IIovey. 29 

in the Seventli Nebraska. A lieutenant was carelessly 
liandling his revolver when it went off and v/onnded 
two men, one quite badly through the leg and the 
other mortally. Thelatterdied during the dayand was 
buried this evening. Such carelessness as this ought 
to be severely punished. 

CAMP HOVEY 

Our chn])lain not having arrived, our first Sabbath 
in Missouri was passed w^ithout any religious services 
being held in our regiment. 

On Monday we moved and established a permanent 
camp. Oar new camp lay between Iron ton and Ar- 
cadia, two little villages near Pilot Knob. It was 
named Camp IIovey. It was upon dry ground, 
shaded with some fine old oaks, and upon the whole a 
very pleasant place. «Iust beyond our camp was a 
commanding hill upon wdiich the trees were being cut 
preparatory to building a fort. The boys went to work 
earnestly, and soon had made a fine army camp. 

It would surprise any one not acquainted with the 
inexhaustible resources and utility of Yankee ingenu- 
ity^, to see how soon apparently useless pieces of boards 
and planks and even the broken remains of deserted 
secesh buildings were transformed into articles of con- 
venience and utility. Tent floors, bunks, tables, writ- 
ing desks, seats, etc., were made with surprising ra- 
pidity and skill. Three hours after our tents were 
pitched our camp presented the appearance and con- 
tained all of the conveniences of an old and well 
arranged camp. The easy-going people of Missouri 



80 Aemy Life. 

were surprised and astonished. "Why," they ex- 
claimed, '* if these men stay here six months they couid 
build a big city." They had never before seen men 
work in earnest. 

GOOD WATER. 

One of the best things of this country is the qual- 
ity and abundance of good water. Flowing springs 
pour forth their streams of cool and clear water from 
every mountain side. The springs are unnumbered 
and their supply of good water is inexhaustible. Good 
water is necessary to preserve the health of an army. 
The bad water of Camp Butler no doubt did much 
to impair the health of the soldiers camped there. 
Unhealthy water frequently destroys more soldiers 
than the enemy's bullets. A commander who would 
allow his soldiers to use bad water when good can be 
had without lighting too hard, ought to be drummed 
out of the service. 

A SUICIDE. 

Shortly after we were established in our new quar- 
ters at Camp Hovey, fourteen men came from Illi- 
nois and joined our company. Some of them were 
new members who had lately enlisted, and others those 
who could not come with us when we left Camp But- 
ler. They brought us the sad news that Henry John- 
son, a fine, intelligent young man who had been left 
in the hospital at Camp Butler, had committed sui- 
cide by drowning himself in the small lake at that 
place. This sad information seemed too incredible 



Building Fokt IIovey. 31 

for belief. I saw and had a talk with him just before 
we came away and lie appeared to be in good spirits. 
He said that he was gaining nicely and would be with 
us in a few days. When I expressed my regret that 
lie could not go with ns he replied in a happy, ]*vely 
manner and laughingly anticipated the pleasant vhne 
he would have going down to Missouri in a nice, com- 
fortable passenger coach, while we would have to 
go in crowded freight cars. In these rushing times 
passenger cars for the transportation of soldiers had 
to be extemporized out of freight cars. Some new, 
discoura2:ino: memories and tliouojhts must have oc- 
curred to the young soldier after we came away or he 
would never have sacrificed his life so vainly. With 
a big war on hand and his command going to the 
front, it would seem that a soldier would know that he 
could have lots of good chances of being killed and 
to die in an honorable and useful way, and that he 
need not commit suicide. Young Johnson left a short 
note bidding his friends good-bye and telling them 
that he was " going to the happy land above." Poor 
boy! Let us pity although we may not understand 
him. 

BUILDING A FORT. 

The early building of a fort upon the hill near our 
camp was deemed a pressing and important matter. 
The work was placed in charge of Colonel IIovey, 
who took hold of it in earnest. He examined the 
plans and estimated the work to be done. He then 
appealed to the members of his regiment; mentioned 
the importance of the work, the desire and necessity 



32 Army Life 



that it sliould be done immediately; explained tliat it 
must be done either voluntarily or by regular detail. 
He would prefer to work with us as volunteers rather 
than otherwise; would the Thirty-third volunteer 
to do the work and have the honor of building the 
fort, instead of assisting others to build it as detailed 
soldiers? The boys of the regiment most willingly 
assented, and to work we went. An additional in- 
ducement was given by a promise of twenty-five cents 
per day in addition to our regular pay as soldiers. 
Tliose who worked as mechanics to have forty cents per 
day. All of us who could use an ax, saw or hammer, 
were put down on the list as mechanics. Eight 
hours to be credited a day's work. Every hour more 
than that to be credited as double time. Thus twelve 
hours' work in one day would be credited as two days' 
work. We usually put in the full twelve hours. 
Thus many of ns were earning eighty cents per day 
extra. Trustworthy sergeants were appointed to keep 
these iinportant time tables with strict impartiality 
and military exactness. The boys jokingl}^ called this 
promised extra pay " boat money," a name derived 
from the case of the always insolvent man who was 
continually bargaining for the purchase of a farm 
which he would pay for "when his boat came in." 
(Of course nothing was ever paid upon these carefully 
kept accounts.) 

The work was pushed forward with the utmost ra- 
pidity. Officers and men all worked together. In 
this work all rank is ignored. The best workmen 
were our recognized leaders. The timber in the wooas 
near at hand was freely used. Large trees were cut 



Colonel Hovey and the Woeks:a.n. 33 

and tlie logs hauled to the fort and placed in tlie 
walls. 

By the time the week ended the walls of the fort 
were so well established and the work in siicli a state 
of progress, that the chaplain of our regiment w«io 
had now arrived, thouglit that the fort ought to have 
some sort of a dedication, so he obtained permission 
and held religious services in it on Sunday. 

As seemed proper and appropriate the fort was 
named after the colonel of our regiment and called 
Fort Hovey. 

COLONEL HOVEY AND THE WORKMAN 

One day while the work on the fort was being carried 
on wnth its accustomed vigor, Colonel Ilovey, as was 
usual with him, was around among the boys to see 
ho w^ tlie work progressed, lending a helping hand 
now and then as he saw occasion. Among others, he 
came across a man who was working with consider- 
able difficulty by reason of not having the proper tools 
to use. The man did not recognize the Colonel, who 
was dressed in a plain way, and looked, it must be 
confessed, more like a common soldier than like 
what we would expect to see in the person of the com- 
mander of the famous Normal Regiment. Colonel 
Hovey noticed this workman a moment and then 
asked: " Could you not do that work better if you 
had a good hand-saw to use?" "Why, yes," said the 
man; " I believe that I could. Say, old chap, won't 
you go over to the tool house and get one for me?" 
The Colonel trudged off to the tool house, nearly a 
quarter of a mile distant, and promptly returned with 
3 



34 Army Life. 

a hand-saw. The workman praised him for his 
promptness and continued his work. The Colonel 
s'Tod looking on and soon again suggested: "I should 
think that you could do that better if you had a good 
a>: to use." "Yes, I never thought of that; won't 
you r^n over to the other side of the fort and see if 
\\ u ^an find one for me?" Colonel Hovey went as 
before and soon returned with the desired tool. His 
apt suggestions and willingness had completely won 
the workingman's good will. " Well, old boss," 
said he, in his warmest, friendliest manner, "you are 
a mighty handy chap, and if you will come around 
and see me this evening I will go with you to head- 
quarters and have you assigned to help me as a car- 
penter, and you will then get better wages than you 
do now as a common laborer.'' 

At this time, seeing that some of those who knew 
him were beginning to notice the interesting inter- 
view. Colonel Hovey passed to some other part of the 
work. The honest workman's astonishment, when in- 
formed who his " handy chap" actually was, can be 
well imagined. 

SOLDIER DYEING. 

One evening after our work for the day was done, 
our jovial little comrade, Elisha Burrows, was seen 
walking down toward the officers' quarters. His face, 
always the picture of mirth and fun, was now 
covered with sadness. He had just come from his 
tent. Corporal Lewis was one of his tent mates. 
Lewis, one of our best soldiers, was a general favor- 
ite, and especially so with Lieutenant Burnham^ 



A Soldier and his Mustache. S-^ 

one of the warmest hearted and most sympathetic 
men in the army. 

As Burrows came near Lieutenant Burnham his 
face ffrew more sad and in mournful tones he asked: 
"Lieutenant, did you hear about Corporal Lewis?" 
In his quick, impulsive way the Lieutenant answered: 
'' Xo, what is the matter with him? " With a voice 
trembling with emotion Burrows slowly replied: 
" He is now in his tent dyeing.'' With tears of heart- 
felt sorrow and sympathy coursing down his cheeks, 
Burnham rushed to the soldier's tent, exclaiming: 
"Poor Lewis!" "Poor Lewis! " and found him— 
sitting before a glass dyeing his new-grown mustache. 

OLD SECESH AND HIS PIG. 

Although we were quite well supplied with provis- 
ions by the Government, some of the boys would per- 
sist in having a relish for the many little nicknacks 
which the farms and larders of Missouri furnished 
and not included in the army rations. No doubt 
they were in error in their belief, yet some of the 
boys were actually foolish enough to affirm, and the 
extreme ones even to go so far as to really believe, 
that fat chickens and plump pigs were good to eat 
even in the army. Whether or not any of them ever 
attempted actual proof is another question. As a 
general thing our soldiers were, in those early days 
of the war, very generous and exact in respecting the 
Union citizen's right of property, but woe to him who 
was known to be a secesh sympathizer. Although 
military rules and orders would not allow anything 



B6 Army Life. 

to be disturbed unless proper!}^ and formally con- 
fiscated, yet the soldiers' ingenuity enabled them in 
many ways to show their respect to rebel sympa- 
tliizers. 

One of the wealthiest men living in the vicinity 
of Arcadia was of this stripe. One day tins rebel 
sympatliizer wlien passing through the woods near 
camp saw one of his fattest shoats fall down not far 
from him, it having met with a severe accident in the 
shape of a ball from an unseen gun. The Missourians 
allow their hogs to run at large in tlie woods, and he 
was no doubt slipping slylj^ around to see that noth- 
ing happened to his pigs. There being no hunter in 
sight to claim the game, and being unable to find 
from what part of the thick brush the shot was fired, 
the owner picked up his pig, a good sized one, and 
started home. 

He was soon met by a soldier without any gun. 
*' Goodness, "the soldier said, "are you foolish enough to 
tire yourself out carrying that fat pig home when all 
you have to do is to go to Colonel Ilovey who will not 
only make the rascals who shot it carry it home and 
dress it nicely for you, but also punish them severely 
in the bargain?" "Yes," he replied, "but how will 
he know who shot the pig?" "Oh, that is easy 
enough. He keeps a list of all the boys out of camp. 
He can spot the lads for "you." This plan tickled 
old secesh hugely. The idea that he could go to 
camp and then come back marching proudly at the 
head of the despised Yankee soldiers, who would have 
to do the drudgery of lugging the pig to his house 
and perform the dirty work of scraping and cleaning 



Old Secesh and his Pig. 67 

it, with liim in command to see the work well and 
thoroui^hly done, and then to send them back to 
camp to remain witli ball and chain in the guard- 
honse, while he/old importance liimself, was at home 
eating liis fresh meat, w^as too great a temptation for 
him to withstand. He quickly assented to the plan. 
The friendly soldier kindly helped him to place the 
pig in a nice shady place where it would safely re- 
main nntil the owner's anticipated, victorious return. 
The old cove then went briskly into camp to find 
Colonel Ilovey. 

The sequel can be easily imagined when we add 
that the pig was soon transferred and keeping com- 
pany with an unloaded gun. which the kind soldier 
had hid before volunteering his unselfish and valuable 
advice. 

Suffice it to say that Colonel Ilovey impatiently 
listened to the complaint, more than half intimated 
that he doubted its truth, and then sent some men to 
investigate. 

When the owner got to the place and looked for 
the dead pig, to his great astonishment there was no 
pig there, and the officers returned and reported old 
secesh to Colonel Hovey as an old fraud. 

That day at supper a fine piece of fresh pork steak 
was furnished the Colonel. As he finished it with 
much relish he said to his cook: "How did you get 
this, Sam?" "Selled eggs and byedit,"said Sam. As 
it was not dignified for a great man like the com- 
mander of the Thirty-third to have an extended con- 
fab with his cook the Colonel finished his supper in 
peace. But it is said he shortly afterward sent to the 



38 Army Life. 

owner of tlie lost pig and bouglit two of his best — the 
value was not large — and forgot to ever send for one 
of them; in this way paying for the confiscated pig. 

WAKLIKE TIMES. 

While the work on the fort was being piislied for- 
ward with the utmost rapidity, many other things 
claimed our attention. We were in many ways made 
to appreciate tlie fact that armed forces of the enemy 
were within threatening distance of us. Countless 
wild and exaggerated rumors were circulated day and 
night. Among them were some stubborn facts. 

A squad of men went to Arcadia and took two pris- 
oners and 22,000 secesh gun-caps. The men protested 
that they were true Union men and that the rebel who 
was trying to take the ammunition through our lines to 
the enemy was another fellow who could not be found. 
They were given the benefit of the doubt and discharged 
and the gun-caps confiscated. 

Two negroes were brought in by our picket guard. 
They claimed to have been connected with the rebel 
army as servants, from which they had escaped and 
come to the Union army. They were taken to head- 
quarters and freely gave all the information of the en- 
emy they could. 

Three companies of our regiment, E, B and K, 
were, as soon as they had received their gnns, after 
our arrival at Pilot Knob, sent back toward St. Louis 
to guard the railroad bridges. They were the first 
of our command to get into trouble. Quite a large 
force of the enemy had been hovering around us. 
Not being bold enough to attack the Union troops 



The First Engagement. 39 

in the vicinity of Pilot Knob thej had passed up be- 
tween lis and the Mississippi Kiver and then tlirown 
a force around in our rear to destroy the bridges on 
the raih'oad and thus cut us off from communication 
with St. Louis. 

Tliey were too strong for the small force we had at 
those places and our soldiers were soon driven away 
and the bridges burned. Those of our troops nearest 
to us made their way back to Pilot Knob; those near- 
est to St. Louis fell back tow^ard that city, and Cap- 
tain Elliott and his company (E) were captured. 

Captain Lippincott had command of those that fell 
back to Pilot Knob. When he and the men of Com- 
pany K came in and we were told of the fighting they 
had seen, we began to appreciate what it was to be in a 
warlike country. Captain Lippincott received much 
credit for the able manner in which he saved his little 
force from being captured by the large band of rebels 
by which they were surrounded. 

Two men of Company C went outside our lines to 
hunt in the woods and were captured by some strag- 
gling band of the enemy. 

Our cavalry now began to get in their work in feel- 
ing of the enemy. They were sent out in every direc- 
tion and met roving bands of rebels almost every day. 
These small forces when found were easily driven by 
our men. When the neighborhood of the main rebel 
army was reached, our cavalry would have to skip back. 
Our cavalry scouts soon learned so that they could tell as 
soon as they saw a rebel picket whether or not it was 
supported by a large force. If it was, the rebels would 
only fall back on their supporting guard and show 



40 Army Life. 

tiglit. If it was only a part of a detached force tliey 
would go pell-mell over the hills and out of reach, and 
it would be as impossible to get a second sight of 
them as it would be to get a second shot at a flock of 
wild turkeys. 

JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE. 

It will be remembered that we did not get our guns 
until the twenty-second of September. The next day 
we moved and established a new camp, and then went 
to work building the fort. Soon threatening move- 
ments of the enemy near us admonished our officers 
that the new soldiers needed some training in the use 
of their guns. On the twenty-eighth we commenced 
drilling in the manual of arms. From this time, 
all of the leisure moments that could be taken from 
other duties were spent in drilling. With building 
forts, drilling and watcliing rebels, the last of Septem- 
ber and first of October, 1861, were very busy times 
with us. 

Toward the last of October all of our available 
force was called into line and we started out fully ex- 
pecting to meet the enemy near at hand. After go- 
ing a sliort distance a halt was called, and in a short 
time a march back to camp ordered. Two or three 
days afterward the same movements with the same 
expectations of a battle were repeated. 

On the fifteenth of October it seemed that the so 
often expected engagement would certainly take place. 
News from our cavalry told us that they were being 
driven back toward camp. It was believed that the 
enemy were moving upon us with their entire force. 



Marching and SkikmisiiinGj Oct., 1S61. 4i 

At four o'clock we started out on the Fredericktowii 
road to meet them. We did not expect to go more 
than one or at most two miles before being obliged 
to select a battle ground. Instead of this we went 
seven miles without seeing any rebels, but we met 
our returning cavalry. Tliej liad met some of Jeff 
Thompson's forces with whom they had quite a severe 
brush. Our men were repulsed but tliey succeeded 
in bringing off their wounded. From the cavalry it 
was learned that the enemy were in force at or near 
Fredericktown. We now halted and a council of 
w^ar was held by our commanding officers. After a 
session of two or three hours it was decided that we 
should return to our quarters at Pilot Knob and Iron- 
ton and wait for future arrangements. So we turned 
and marched back ao:aiu. 

It was upon this march that Lieutenant Burnham, 
who for a short time had command of our company, 
gave the order which afforded considerable amusement 
and came near making him famous. While we wxre 
descending a steep hill, for some reason the front of 
the column stopped which made it necessary for us to 
halt. Burnham, like the rest of us, was new in 
military life, and in the confusion of the moment the 
proper command "Halt! "escaped his memory, and thus 
in its place in thundering tones upon the night air 
came the command : " Mark time! " The idea of stop- 
ping upon a sharp march to a supposed battle field, 
with the enemy perhaps within hearing distance, to 
go through the idle ceremony of " marking time," 
which is to take up one foot after the other in succes- 
sion and replace it in the same place was so absurd tliat 



42 Army Life. 

tlie entire company caiiglit the spirit of the joke and 
obeyed the command. And there stood Company A, 
in battle array, upon a steep hill in sight of their com- 
rades and the enemy near, vigorously "marking time " 
until one of his brother officers suggested the rigiit 
word, when Burnham stopped the interesting cere- 
mony by the command "Halt." 

Other troops had followed us to Pilot Knob so that 
we now had quite a respectable force at this point. 
Among the new arrivals was the Thirty-eighth Illi- 
nois, Colonel Carlin commanding. By some means 
his commission had been 'issued so that it bore a prior 
date to the one held by Colonel Hovey, which made 
him the senior and commanding officer of the army 
at this point. This led to considerable unpleasant 
teeling, but nothing serious grew out of it. The 
Thirty-third having been organized so as to take the 
earliest number, it did not seem just right that it 
should be outranked by the Thirty-eighth. Our 
soldiers being volunteers took a deep interest in these 
matters. For a time excitement ran high. At one 
time Colonel Carlin for some trifling reason put 
Colonel Hovey under arrest. That is he went so far 
as to order Hovey to consider himself under arrest. 
This continued for a few days. The lively times the 
surrounding rebels were now giving us claimed our 
undivided attention, and other reasons served to 
smooth over the misunderstanding for the time being, 
but it can be safely said that Carlin and Hovey never 
became very loving to each other so long as they re- 
mained in the same command. 



Battle of Fredericktown. 43 

battle of fredericktown. 

It now became known that JefF Thompson was fast 
concentrating an army of considerable force in the 
neighborhood of Fredericktown, and between us and 
thelviississippi Eiver. This large force of the enemy 
and its position made an attack upon lis more than 
probable. It seemed certain. All military rules de- 
manded it. The bridges between us and St. Louis 
bad been burned. The enemy had successfully thrown 
himself between us and the only Union troops within 
supporting distance. The situation of affairs de- 
manded that General Thompson should attack us, 
and do it at once. We expected it. Orders were 
given for us to keep our guns loaded and ready for 
use. We " slept on arms " every night. We were 
frequently called out expecting an immediate battle. 
At last, however, it became certain that Tliompson 
would not attack us in the strong position we held. 
His movements were strange, indeed. To occupy the 
position he did required great bravery, if not abso- 
lute recklessness. To remain where he was inactive, 
was at once both dangerous and silly. He should 
have immediately come on and made an attack upon 
the forces at Pilot Knob before reinforcement could 
have reached them, or else have promptly retired to a 
safe position. His delay gave time for communica- 
tion to be made with the Union forces upon the Mis- 
sissippi Eiver. A force large enough to compete with 
Thompson, under command of Colonel Plummer, had 
crossed the river from Illinois, and coming north- 
west from Cape Giardue were within easy striking 
distance of the rebels. Another force from Cairo had 



4:4: Akmy Life. 

crossed to Bird's Point. It was easy to be seen tliat 
Thompson's entire force coiild easily be captured. 
The boys were now in high sph-its. Soldiers in tlie 
ranks talk of and study military points almost as 
much as the officers in command. By going to the 
southeast from Pilot Knob and having the force from 
Bird's Point move to the northeast and then let the 
Union troops from Cape Giardue come up and sti'ike 
him from the east, Jeff Thompson would not only 
have been defeated but would also have been cut oti" 
from all chance of escape. ^ 

Such was the condition of affairs when the forces at 
Pilot Knob, with Colonel Carlin in command, started 
out to join in the attack upon the enemy under Gen- 
eral Thompson, who had now concentrated his entire 
force at Fredericktown. We were aware of the fact 
that the Union troops under Colonel Plummer were on 
the way and within striking distance of the rebel army. 
On the twenty-first of October the troops came up 
and a sharp brisk battle was fought in which Thomp- 
son was quickly and severely defeated. Most of the 
fighting on the Union side was done b\^ the soldiers 
under Colonel Plummer. As he outranked Colonel 
Carlin he was the ranking officer of the united com- 
mand. Plummer's own soldiers did most of the 
fighting. Most of the Pilot Knob forces, however, par- 
ticipated in the battle; some of them in the thickest 
of it. Company A was on the skirmish line. The 
balance of the Thirty-third was held in reserve at 
first, but they were so anxious to go in that they were 
permitted to do so. The figlit was, however, so soon 
over that they only came up in time to fire one volley 



Battle of Fbedericktown. 45 

at the retreating rebels. It was a short, sharp and deci- 
sive contest. As I was confined in the camp liospital 
at Iron ton, during this time, with a severe attack of 
typhoid fever, I will not attempt to give incidents of 
the contest. 

Instead of falling to the south of the enemy as they 
could easily and safely have done, the troops from 
Pilot Knob had kept to the north so as to form a junc- 
tion with the troops under Colonel Plummer. This 
left an open road for Thompson to the south, and with 
his defeated army he retreated in hot haste toward the 
Arkansas state line. In war if you are sure to defeat 
the enemy strike so as to cut off his retreat and make 
the victory complete. 

Although the enemy's entire force was not captured 
as it ought to have been, still the battle of Frederick- 
town was in many respects a very important one. It 
gave us undisputed possession of all of Southeastern 
Missouri and was the first battle of the war that 
could be claimed as a decided Union victory. 

The loss upon the Union side was small. Tliat of 
the rebels comparatively large. It is claimed that 
our soldiers buried over 200 of the rebel dead, left 
by them upon the field. The enemy's severest loss 
was that of Colonel Lowe, who was second to General 
Thompson in command of the rebel forces. He was 
one of the most promising young officers in the rebel 
army.' He was killed in the early part of the battle. 
His death had a very depressing efiect upon the rebels 
of Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas, where 
before the war, he was well known as a brilliant, 
promising and popular young lawyer. 



114 Army Life. 

plied with much the best artillery, and whenever we 
can get two or three good batteries into play upon 
them the rebels always skip out of reach. Kebels do 
not like cannon balls. 



CHAPTER yi. 



BATTLE OF CACHE EIVER. 



The early morn of a summer day, as the light began 
to break in the eastern sky on Monday morning, July 
T, 1862, found us camped on the west side of Cache 
River. Work was commenced at an early hour and 
our pontoon bridge was soon thrown over the river. 
The army immediately commenced crossing. Our 
guards had been thrown some little distance ahead, 
but we were not troubled by the enemy. Our effect- 
ive artillery work of the previous night had taught 
them to keep at a safe distance. 

At eleven o'clock four companies of the Thirty- 
third Illinois and four of the Eleventh Wisconsin, 
with one piece of light artillery, belonging to a cavalry 
regiment, all under command of Colonel Hovey, went 
forward to see what theenemy infrontof uswere doing. 

With a skirmish line in advance, we went forward 
on a rapid walk. Nothing occurred until we had 
marched about seven miles. Here we came upon a 
rebel picket so suddenly that they were obliged to take 
to the woods, leaving their guns and other tra})S upon 



Eattle of Cache Eivek. 115 

tlie ground. At the point where this picket guard 
had been posted another road crossed the one we were 
upon at right angles. This picket post was to our 
left as we advanced or upon the north side of our 
road. They disappeared in the woods in front of ns, 
keeping to our left. Believing that they had gone to 
join the command to which they belonged, we were 
confident that tlie main force of the enemy was in the 
woods directly in our front. 

Upon the south side of our road and just beyond 
the cross road was an old frame house. It was 
unplastered and the side boards were so loose and 
cracked that a person inside could easily look out 
upon the road in front. Some of our men made a 
hasty search of this house, but failed to find any 
rebels. It afterward proved that a rebel oliicer was 
at the time secreted in one of the rooms up 
stairs. He had been aided by the good, honest 
woman of the house who earnestly assured our men, 
'' upon the word of a pious Christian woman," that 
there had not been any rebels at her house and none 
in sight. In reply to a question she asserted that the 
men who had run into the woods, as we came up, 
were only a small hunting party who had stopped by 
the road to make some coffee. While no reliance was 
placed upon her earnest statements it was not thought 
worth while to leave any guard to watch the house or 
her. As soon as our men withdrew, she of course 
pro!nptly notified the rebel officer up stairs. 

About three quarters of a mile in front of us were 
very heavy woods, thick with underbrush. We 
were sure the rebels were in these woods waitinof for 



116 Army Life. 

us. We would go and see tbem. Without a mo- 
ment's delay we pushed forward, our entire force 
passing in front of the frame house. The rebel officer 
in one of the upper rooms, with the woman below act- 
ing as his sentinel, peeked through a convenient hole 
and saw and counted our entire force. AVe had by act- 
ual count three hundred and eighty-two men all told. 
It is understood that the observing rebel's report to 
his commanding officer was " not quite four hundred 
men." This shows that he was reasonably accurate. 

Passing rapidly by the house and the partly cleared 
field we soon reached the heavy woods where we ex- 
pected to find the rebels. We did not find them. 
We did, however, find two negroes who had been hid- 
ing in the thick brush. They were frightened almost 
to death. As soon as we came near enough so that 
they were sure we were Yankee soldiers, they ran 
toward us exclaiming: "Lord a-golly, massy! Big 
Lord bless you'uns ! We's mighty glad to see you'uns! 
Don't shoot ! Oh! Lord a-massy; look out! I'se 
afeared of dem big guns. Don't, don't let 'em big 
mouths come dis way. Swallow up dis darkey sure." 
They were quieted with the assurance that they should 
not be harmed and their excited exclamations cut 
short with the questions: "Are there any rebel 
soldiers near here." " Oh, Lord-a-mighty, bless you, 
lots of 'em. Woods chuck full of 'em. More dan 
hundred thousand. Oh, d'ey eat you all up sure, sure 
as you live d'ey w^ill, massy! All the woods full of 
'em." "Are they in these woods?" — Jumping five 
feet high in terror at the bare thought. — " In dese 
woods 1 Lord a save you, no; dese darkies nebber 



Lattle of Cache IIivee. 117 

bids in dese woods if do rebs be here — Dead darkey 
sure — Woods full of 'ein, eatyou'iins all up sure, sure 
as YOU live a minute, you'uns all dead men sure. Sure 
as you live you is ! Dis darkey dead, too ! Oh, golly 
save us; let dis darkey take to the woods! Dey be 
here mortal minuts sure! Dis darkej^ must go !" Of 
course all this took place in much less time than it 
can be written. By a few questions we learned that 
tlie rebel force, whatever it was, was not far ironi ns. 
By looking in the direction their hands most elo- 
quently pointed, we could easily see the deep woods 
in which the rebels were undoubtedly covered. That 
these poor frightened negroes, who all their lives had 
been the slaves of their rebel masters, told us the 
truth, we did not for a moment doubt. We can al- 
ways depend upon the colored folks to tell us tlie 
truth about the rebels. 

It was now plain that if we wanted to find tlie en- 
emy the place to go was to retrace our steps nearly a 
mile to the frame house we had passed, then take the 
cross-road leading into tlie woods lying off to the south 
of the road by which we had come. 

In the meantime the rebel officer secreted in tlie 
house when we passed it had not been idle. Having 
carefully noted our strength as w^e passed, he hastened 
to rejoin the rebels massed in heavy force in the woods 
near at hand. Here was a glorious opportunity — for 
them. A force of Union troops of less than four 
hundred men had gone past and left off to their right a 
rebel force of more than as many thousand nicely hid 
in the thick woods and not two miles distant from the 
road the Union troops had taken. No more of the 



118 Aemy Life. 

Union army was within hearing distance. A. cavalry 
guard could easily be thrown in that direction to give 
warning if danger arose. All they had to do was to 
come up rapidly, turn in our rear, and slaughter our 
little force. Of course they at once resolved to do it. 
A band of rebel cavalry was sent through the woods 
toward the road by which we had advanced to watch 
and give warning if reinforcements should be coming 
to us. Their main force was put in sliape to march up 
and capture ns. 

By this time unknown to them, we were rapidly 
upon our way to meet them. The rebels had not cal- 
culated upon our finding some negroes in the woods, 
and thus becoming posted as to their position. They 
expected to give us a complete surprise by coming up 
in our rear. Tliey calculated, and with good reason, 
tliat by coming up in our rear we would believe that 
it was some of our own troops and that they could 
fall upon and slaughter us with a single volley. "VYe 
had been warned in time, but none too soon. With a 
rapid march we had hastened bacli to the road cross- 
ing. Here we left two companies of the Eleventh 
Wisconsin as a reserve guard. The rest of our little 
force started soutli to enter the woods where we knew 
the rebels were. The two other companies of the Wis- 
consin regiment were placed in front as skii'mishers. 
The four little companies of the Thirty-third followed 
in solid column. What an army column, hardly two 
hundred strong! With this force we went into tlie 
thick woods to meet an enemy of unknown strength. 
Of course it was not for a moment supposed that 
we would meet an enemy that would stand and make 



Battle of Cache Eiver. 11^ 

a stubborn content. Our diiilj experience in tlie past 
had been that when fannd, ''he enemy would fire onlr 
one volley and then seek safety by rapid flight into 
the depths of the wild woods. Culonel Ilovey, al- 
ways ready and ever anxious for a fight, had so little 
hopes of anything but a deserted rebel camp being 
found that he started leisurely to ride back toward 
the main army at Cache River to give the informa- 
tion that the road was open. Ere he had gone far his 
quick ear caught the first sonnd of clashing arms, 
and dashing the spurs into his steed with headlong 
speed he returned to his little command and joined 
in the wild conflict that was then raging, as we shall 
presently see. 

Oar rapid march had brought us back so that we 
turned toward them by the time the rebels had fairly 
started for us. Discovering our approach they quick- 
ly adopted another plan. Their strong advance in 
solid line of battle was hid by lying close upon the 
ground well covered by fallen logs and thick under- 
brush. In this way they expected to lie concealed 
until we were within reach when they would rise up 
and sweep us off at the first fire. Back of them, fur- 
ther out of sight, was a heavy body of mounted men 
who were to rush in at the proper time and complete 
the slaughter. That a slaughter was their design was 
plainly shown. Had they simply wished to capture 
us, able as they were to surround us with such an 
overwhelming force, they could, and by all rules of 
civilized war ought to at once have sent in a flao- of 
truce, informed us of their large force, advised us of 
our real condition and demanded our immediate sur- 



120" Army Lite. 

re.Hler. Tlieir action showed v.lrat it v;;;s not a capt- 
ure but a slaughter they desired. r>nt their last 
well laid plan, like the first was doomed to fail. 

We advanced in column and without any line of 
battle, havingin front only aline of skirmishers. Our 
keen-eyed skirmishers, many of whom had been suc- 
cessful hunters in the wild woods of Wisconsin, were 
too quick for the hiding rebels. Profiting by our re- 
peated experience in the woods of Arkansas with the 
rebels who at first sight would shoot and run away, 
our established rule had become to fire at the enemy 
as soon as we got near enough. Some of our skir- 
mishers soon saw the heads of the prostrated and hid- 
den rebels and commenced firing at them. Now the 
wild music commenced. Seeing that they were dis- 
covered the entire rebel line rose up and fired a ter- 
rific volley at our skirmishers. The distance was so 
great that their poor guns did no serious damage, while 
the powerful rifles in the hands of our men told with 
deadly effect upon the enemy. But it was only our 
skirmish line of a few men engaged. They had no 
time to re-load their guns and fire a second shot. 
Many of the rebels had double-barreled shotguns 
and thus each had a charge still in reserve. Their 
heavy support on horseback had started rapidly for- 
ward at the first shot. Now the entire rebel force, 
cavalry and infantry, came forward upon a fierce run. 
Wisconsin's little band of skirmishers had to skip 
back at a lively rate. They were now out of the 
fight. Our time had come. Company A was in the 
advance. The ground upon which we stood was 
some higher than that over which the rebels were 



Battle of Cache Eiver. 121 



advancing. Standing at the brow of the hill our one 
little steel gun had commenced a lively play npon 
the advancing rebels. As our skirmishers came back 
on the run we barely had time for part of the company 
to turn into line in support of the cannon and face 
the enemy when they were upon us. They came 
upon a fearful charge and with but little attention 
to military order. The heavy lines of the enemy's 
infantry breaking up to let through a more dense 
mass on horseback. In this way they w^ere right 
upon us before they saw our line. Now a terrilic 
clash of arms followed. Here we were but a few 
yards apart. Into the dense throng our trusty rifles 
were fired with fearful effect. They replied with a 
volley that made the timber roar and the ground 
tremble. Lead enouo^h went screech inoj over our 
heads to have swept off an entire army. In front 
of our few guns, horses, horsemen and footmen 
were falling to the ground. In front of theirs our 
men stood unharmed. Hardly a man upon our side 
was hit by this first volley. We were standing 
waiting for them. They were surprised to meet us 
face to face when they supposed that our entire line 
was upon the run to the rear. In the thick woods 
numbers could not be accurately estimated, and our 
little line of skirmishers had given the advancing 
enemy such a warm reception that they believed 
our entire force was in the advance line and had 
been driven back, and the rebels rushed madly on, 
never dreaming of the stubborn resistance they were 
3^et to meet. In surprised confusion they fired 
wildly. Standing as we did upon higher ground also 



122 Army Life. 

helped to save us. In firing tliej aimed too liigli. 
A few feet above our lieads the trees were ahr.ost 
swept clean by the leaden balls fired above ns. 
Leaves and twigs and limbs severed from the trees 
by the leaden storm dropped upon ns like hail. Had 
the rebel guns been aimed so as to have sent the bul- 
lets five or ten feet lower none of us would have been 
left alive to tell tlie tale of our defeat. Their lines 
wavered and trembled at the fearful punishment they 
received, but the force of the heavy mass coming so 
swiftly impelled them on, on into our very midst. 
Fortunately their guns, like ours, had been fired and 
were now unloaded. But close at hand fast rushing 
upon us, were still otlier heavy forces of the enemy 
with lead in their guns. 

Let no one suppose that Company A, a mere liand- 
fulof men, stood there in formal army line, with these 
hosts of fresh rebels coming up to shoot at us, while we 
w^eut through all of the motions of reloading our empty 
guns. N o, i ndeed ! Plenty of good trees to get behind 
were too near at hand. But ere we fell back there 
was a little work to do. As soon as it became certain 
that we must fall back, the first thought was to save 
the little steel cannon. The driver swung his team 
into place, the gun was hooked on the caisson, the 
gunners scampered back under cover of the woods, and 
yet, oh, misery! there stood our little cannon. The 
soldier heart always bleeds to see a flag or apiece of 
artillery fall into the enemy's hands. At the first 
jump of the team, the quick start had thrown the can- 
non from its fastenings. The bold driver was wound- 
ed and could not at once bring his horses to a stand. 
In the midst of the fierce storm raging about us. Cap- 



Battle of Cache Rivek. . 123 

tain Potter coolly said: "Steady, boys; save the gun." 
Sergeant Ed Pike, of our company, ran up and 
grabbed hold of the cannon with one hand, his own 
rifle in the other, and with the strength of a giant and 
the assistance of one comrade ran the cannon down tlie 
road, hooked it on the caisson, and the team galloped 
to the rear and saved the gun. The rebels were all 
around. The nearest horseman was almost close 
enough to have struclv Pike witli his saber. The rebels 
were, however, completely dashed by the supreme 
audacity of ^-Le movement. Half a dozen of us, the 
tallest ireix^berF cf the company, and thus tln^own near 
to Pike. >mr erdex-^ly sergeant, were all that were near 
enough tc witnesc' the strange scene. A strange scene, 
indeed t v"Jr.Ci. or ^- false step, or the loss of a single 
second of time, it would have been a tragedy. With 
our heavy guns in hand we were ready to aid our 
brave comrade, if we could, had the rebels raised their 
sabers to strike, but, it ma}^ be confessed, we liad no 
desire to enter into a clubbino; lio^ht with unloaded oruns 
unless compelled to do so. As soon as the cannon 
was hitched to the caisson and saved by the galloping 
team, we made lively time to join our comrades in find- 
ing good places and friendly trees behind which we 
could stop and reload our rifles. As I dodged under 
a limb it caught my cap and it fell to the ground 
behind me. Pike had saved a cannon. A pretty 
story it would be if I could not save a little army 
cap. Without scarcely any thought other than the 
appearance of coming out of the fight bare-headed I 
turned back for the cap. The faces of the rebels who 
had witnessed our audacious actions in taking the steel 



124. , Akmy Life. 

gun from their very teeth were covered with ainazo- 
ment. They looked as though they were in douuc 
whether we were really fighting or only engaged as 
two parties in some hnge play. As I looked up with 
the recovered cap in hand, and the real situation began 
to appear to me, while overwhelmed with astonish- 
ment, I could not help returning the surprised smiles 
of tlie nearest rebels and then scampered back right 
lively to find my tree. It was more thoughtlessness 
than any thing else that caused me to save Diy cap from 
such a pi ace. As I was reloading behind ? .'^'ood, stout 
tree, and began to fully realize the situation. < thousand 
miserable army caps could have lain i.):ero at their lei- 
sure and I would have gone bare-heaaei fiV'^'inty years 
before I would have run into the te^^tL of vjcat rebel 
host to get one of them. 

All of this had hardly taken more than is S;5Cond 
of time. Upon occasions like this, actions and evsnts 
are swifter than passing time. The terrific rebel vol- 
ley had answered our fire; almost at a single jump 
Pike had taken the gun to its place; and into the 
woods we went hardly a pace behind the rest of our 
company. At this point the woods were, fortunately, 
so thick with underbrush that two rods distance com- 
pletely hid us from our foes. 

And still on came the crowding mass of anxious 
rebels who had not yet fired a gun. We had not 
been a moment too soon. Company A had barely time 
to scamper into the thick woods to our left, when this 
seething, rushing horde of fresh rebels came up, passed 
the ground where we had stood, and fell upon the three 
other companies of the Thirty-third. Each had turned 
partly into line. There had been no time to change 



Eattle of Cache River. 125 

from column, into line hy battalion. The scene our 
v.:mpany me. a moment before was now re-enacted. 
Steadily, coolly and with deadly aim the large rifle balls 
were sent into the dense rebel ranks. The effect was 
too terrib.'.D. Flesh and blood could not stand it. 
Brave men though they were, the rebel lines wavered, 
halted and then rushed back in wild dismay. 

By the time this desperate charge was over we had 
ceased to pay any great attention to mere company 
lines. Officers and men all fought together. About 
the only indication of rank was the fact that wher- 
ever our lines were the thickest an officer w^ould gen- 
erally be seen in the midst of them. Scattered 
through the deep woods, only watching that we kept 
in the general line of the Union soldiers, we sought 
such shelter as we could, and rapidly loaded our rifles 
and flied at the best mark we could see. Thus the 
rebels withdrew, suffering at every step until they 
were out of reach of our long range rifles. 

Do not think that this retreat of the enemy was the 
end of the battle of Cache River. We thought so for 
a brief moment. Colonel Hovey, who had now reached 
the front, said to his orderly : " Report to camp that one 
officer and two men are severely wounded and that we 
want a surgeon immediately." He was standing near 
me when he said this and evidently had as little 
thought of a renewal of the attack as any of us. 
More from a soldierly spirit, than from any thought 
of necessity, our lines had been somewhat re-formed 
by the soldiers changing places and getting nearer to 
their own officers and company comrades. But a brief 
moment was, however, allowed for this. Before formal 



126 Army Life. , 

lines could be planned, mucli less made, we were clearly 
advised of our error in believing the battle ended. 
So soon that it seemed but an echo of the departing 
cry we had so lately and with so much satisfaction 
heard, the returning rebel yell, rapidly coming nearer 
and nearer, told us that all was not yet over. Their 
cavalry guard had informed the rebels tliat no rein- 
forcements were yet at hand to rescue the little band 
of Union soldiers. For a large army^ thousands in 
number, to be baffled by a few hundreo., ''nd that, too, 
out in the open woods w^ith no protecting works, was 
something the hot Southern blood could not endure. 
Hushing among them, with information of how con- 
temptible we were in numbers, appealing to the pride 
of boasted Southern cliivalry, sneering in words of 
contempt at tlie plow boys of the Xorth, the r.^/oel offi- 
cers at once rallied their men for another sparge. 
On they came more fierce than before, blowing :iion- 
strous horns, pounding kettles, beating drums, screach- 
ing the harsh, shrill rebel yell. What possessed them ? 
Did they think to scare the soldiers by whom they had 
been so severely punished a few minutes befor'^ by 
mere noise? So it seemed. With the most dismal 
racket that all of these things could make, added to by 
the less weird but more dangerous flash of rebel guns, 
the furious, overwhelming force was thrown upon us 
w^ith all the insane zeal of maddened fury. This 
second charge took a more deadly and continued 
form than the first. As they came, in this headlong 
career, our trusty rifles were emptied into the dense 
mass with fearful results. Our deadly fire broke the 
rebel charge but they could not themselves fully stay 



Battle of Cache Kiver. 127 

tlie force c>f the onward rush. The fierce advance of 
the enemy carried many of them far beyond where 
our soi'-iers stood. 

JSTow our guns as f\ist as loaded could be used upon 
rebels in our rear as well as in front. Eebeis before 
us, rebels behind us, rebels each side of us, rebels, reb- 
els everywhere. The enormous mass of rebels was 
strong enough to crnsli our ranks; to pass through and 
trample them down and to have captured or slaugh- 
tered us if they could have found our army lines — but 
we had none. Wherever the enemy were too thick to 
be driven back we would run in both directions and 
thus open a way for them to pass through while we 
looked for the protecting side of other trees. Kobie 
trees they were. Many of them had firmly stood there 
loyal and sound to the core, since Washington's day. 
In a battle a good tree is often a soldier's bosom 
friend. Perhaps instead of recording that over five 
thousand Confederates fiercely fought less than four 
hundred Yankee boys we should count five or ten thou- 
sand trees as in line upon the Union side and thus in 
numbers make the contest equal. True it is that 
those staunch Arkansas trees right royally gave the 
strength of their side to the cause of loyalty upon that 
day, and in after years — far, far away — after this story 
is all forgotten, when those trees become brown and 
leafless with age and decay, and the woodman's ax 
lays them low, in the hearts of those old oak trees 
that stood for the grand old Union flag when mis- 
jTuided sons of the South would tear it down, will be 
found many a leaden ball which has rested there 
since that eventful day, when they stood within the 
fierce contest of July 7, 1862. 



128 Army Life. 

The fierce, unequal contest was raging still. Each 
of US was now virtually fighting upon his own hook. 
Each selected the best protection he could while 'oad- 
ing his rifle and then sought for the largest band of 
rebels he could see to fire into. x\ll of our officers did 
well their part, but all they could do was by example, 
and each officer was fighting side by side with the 
soldiers. Colonel Hovey went in on foot with the rest. 
During the most desperate part of the contest, as 
they were reloading their rifles, some of our soldiers 
raised a shout and laugh on seeing Colonel Ilovey 
popping away toward the enemy with a little pocket 
revolver. A pop-gun would have been fully as dan- 
gerous at the distance he was attempting to shoot. 
"Boys,'' said he, "shooting is all that will do any 
good in this fight, you are doing better w^ork than T." 
Soon, however, he borrovv'cd a rifle from a wounded 
soldier, who was crawling to the rear, and from that 
time on he went right in with the soldiers wherever 
the fight was thickest, now and then borrowing a 
handful of cartridges from the cartridge box of the 
nearest soldier, and thus continued until the last gun 
was fired. All of our ofiicers did the same, and long 
before the battle ended every officer in those woods, 
who was not himself wounded, had the rifle of some 
disabled soldier. 

A charge of nearly spent small balls from a shot- 
gun or musket struck Colonel Hovey in the breast. 
He stopped a moment, examined the wounds, picked 
out some of the balls that were buried in his flesh; 
said: "This does not amount to much," and paid no 
further attention to his wounds until the fight was 
over. 



Battle of C'.giie Eiver. 129 

A round bullet hole, as it was supposed, was no- 
ticed in Colonel Lippincott's felt hat. "A pretty 
close call, Colonel," some one remarked. *' Oh, no," 
«aid Lippincott, with cool indifference, as the rebel bul- 
lets were whistling past his head, ''I cut these holes 
this morning for the purpose of ventilation i)i this 
hot weather." He was too brave a man to be willing 
to accept any undue credit. 

This sef^ond charge was soon broken by our accu- 
rate, telling fire. In a spasmodic form it continued. 
The fight became continuous. Heavy forces of the 
enemy were in front of ns; some upon our flank, and 
often many were, by their fierce ride, carried through 
to our rear. It was fighting all around. Every few 
minutes a desperate band of rebel cavalry would rush 
upon us. During one of these fierce charges a pow^er- 
ful rebel, upon a superb horse, came dashing througli 
our lines at the head of his band. The first man he 
reached was Sergeant Dntton of our company. But- 
ton had just fired and was reloading his rifle. Seeing 
his advantage the athletic rebel drew his heavy saber 
and with a cry of desperate rage went fiercely on to 
strike and ride the Union soldier down. 'None of 
our boys within reach had at that critical moment a 
loaded gun so as to fire and save Dutton from his 
threatened doom, and besides, just about this time 
each of us had about a dozen rebels of his own to 
attend to and was kept mighty busy dodging out of 
reach of rebel balls while putting each fresh load in 
our rifles. Being just then near a fence wdiich blocked 
his retreat, with an open space of ground in front of 
him, giving the rider an unobstructed way, no escape 
9 



130 Army Life. 

seemed possible and Dutton's doom seemed at hand. 
Just as tlie fatal blow was about to fall, the little ser- 
geant whi])ped a revolver from his belt, without moving 
a single step, and fired. The uplifted hand fell help- 
less, tlie bold rider dropped dead to the ground, and the 
riderless horse passed on through our lines and out 
of sight to our rear. Had Dutton's Vvonderful nerve 
for a second wavered, had he even given a single 
glance to look for a way of escape he would have been 
a dead man, and perhaps the result of the battle 
chaijf>'> 1. Like incidents could be told of each soldier 
who Stood in those woods at that hour. With the 
fearful odds against us the part of each was important, 
and had one failed, disaster to all w^ould hav^e been 
the result. Dismayed at the loss of their impetuous 
leader and terrified by seeing so many of their num- 
ber fall from their saddles by the certain aim of the 
Union rifles, this band of rebel horsemen, like others, 
disappeared, only to be followed by others as desperate 
and reckless as those who had gone before. 
. The only military command I heard during that 
long contest after the battle was underway, was given 
by Captain Potter. A number of us were near him. 
He had been wounded, and with a handkerchief tied 
around his bleeding leg to stop the rapid flow of blood, 
as a little lull in the fierce storm occurred, he gave 
what was probably the only command given during 
those two desperate hours, in these w^ords: "'Boys, I 
believe that we can get some good shots over there," 
pointing to a clump of trees nearer to the rebels who 
were firing upon us. We advanced, and with the rifle 
he had been using for a cane, he come hobbling along 
after us. • • 



Battle of Cx\ciie Eivee. 131 

Thus for two long hours this fearful contest contin- 
ued. And only four small companies of the Tliirtj- 
third Regiment, with hardly fifty men each to meet 
the desperate onslaught. True, a like number of the 
Eleventli Wisconsin were with us, and right useful 
they were. Two companies, it will be remembered, 
were left at the road crossing. The other two compa- 
nies upon the skirmish line, at the beginning of the 
battle, had been so hotly pressed tliat each man had all 
he could do to save himself. The companies upon the 
road formed in line. As the skirmishers came back 
they joined them. Our little cannon, after being saved 
from the enemy, liad also gone back and taken place 
in the line. There was not much opportunity to use 
the cannon, but now and then, when our boys were 
clear from the road, a solid shot or shell would be sent 
through to greet the rebel hosts. Now and then some 
of the Illinois boys being entirely cut off from their 
comrades would run through the wood or field to the 
rear and form in line with the Wisconsin boys. 
Thus when the enemy came with such fierce force that 
we could not stay their headlong course but were 
compelled to fall to the right or left and let the heav- 
iest columns through, as they passed by and looked 
down the road and saw the solid line still in front, 
raked as they were by the ceaseless side fire w^e were 
pouring upon them, they would in dismay rapidly 
pass oflf in tlie open woods to our right leaving us at 
liberty to turn and give our undivided attention to 
other rebels still advancing in our front. Standing 
there without a wavering man in tlieir lines, that little 
band of Wisconsin men was of untold help to us. If 



132 Aemy Life. 

Colonel Ilovey left them there during all tliis time 
bj design, it was a bvappy thought. If the fighting 
was so hot that he had no chance to send an order for 
them to advance, it was a most fortunate accident. 
Had the many rebels who, at different times, passed 
our lines in their mad career, been permitted nnmo- 
lested to reform and reload and open fire in our rear, 
no protecting trees could have caught all of the rebel 
bullets, and we would have been swept oif in a few 
brief moments. 

A plan of the battle field would show the ad-.-ntnges 
which aided us in this desperate contest. Supv.osing 
that the main road we had advanced upon m the 
morning, was running east, that upon which the bat- 
tle was fought would be running south. At the cross- 
ing of the two roads our reserve had been stationed. 
On the left of the cross road going south toward the 
enemy was a field connected with the frame farm 
house referred to, and all enclosed by a strong rail 
fence. This fence ran south along the road, about 
three quarters of a mile. The fence then turned east 
running in that direction until the heavy and almost 
inpenetrablewoodseastof us were reached. The first 
part of the field near the farm house was quite free 
of trees, but the lower part ran into and included con- 
siderable of the woods in which we found the enemy 
On the right of the cross road, which would be look, 
ino' in the direction of our main army on Cache Eiver, 
was along stretch of ground thinly covered with large 
trees but free of underbrush. This, of course, ran 
back to and connected with the heavier woods where 
the enemy had made his rendezvous. For a 



Battle of Cache Kiver. 133 

short distance on the right side of the cross road 
there had formerly been an enclosure, and about a 
quarter of a mile from the main road the remains of 
a rail fence, running sume little distance west, was 
still standing. When we first met the enemy we had 
passed beyond the farthest fence, but as the battle pro- 
gressed we had fallen back to it, and many of our men 
were in the woods of the enclosure. Thus it will be 
seen that when the enemy's cavahy charged upon 
us, with the highway for his center, his right wing 
would strike the heavy fence and thus be thrown 
into confusion with his center upon the road, 
and this would natui-ally carry many of them into the 
woods to his left, our right, and those still advancing 
would soon strike the remains of the fence on that 
side causing many more to turn off into the open 
woods. Those who had kept in the open road would 
now suddenly come in sight of our reserve line; if 
near enough receive a leaden salute, and they, too, 
would then turn into the woods and disappear. Re- 
membering that these desperate charges were mainly 
made by men on horseback in a mad headlong gallop; 
that they were first thrown into confusion by a fence 
on one side and then broken by the remains of one 
on the other side; that at every step and from each 
side they were severely suftering from the rifles of 
our sharpshooters, it will readily be seen that great ad- 
vantages were open to us and that we improved them 
to the utmost. 

The fight still goes on. The enemy became at last 
most desperately enraged. Their unobstructed access 
to the road between us and the rest of the Union 



134 Aemy Life. 

army still gave them full knowledge that no aid had 
_yet come to us. Why don't the}^ come? We have 
been fighting on, on, expecting each moment to hear 
the dash of the Union cavalry coming to our aid. 
And then our own comrades of the Thirty-third and 
the brothers of the Wisconsin boys, why do they not 
come? Only four companies of each regiment are 
here. Six of each are there. Why do they dally in 
the woods? Are they playing by the wayside and 
we struggling here? Why don't they come? If all 
others become indifferent to our fate they can hot. 
'No, indeed! Too oft have they and we divided our 
scant rations with each other; suffered together; 
mourned at the same graves; mingled in the same 
joys arid shared the same trials. A faintly whispered, 
dread suspicion passes among us. Can it be that the 
heavy rebe armies have come from east of the Missis- 
sippi or other fields in overwhelming force to destroy 
the Union army in these Arkansas wilds? Let it be 
remembered that we have long been cut off from com- 
munication with the outside world. We have no 
definite information from other fields. At the North 
it is reported that Curtis' army is lost in Arkansas. 
So little have we known of what has occurred in 
Kentucky and Tennessee and in the far East during 
the past months, that only wild imagination is our 
guide. Are the heavy forces so hotly pressing us, 
part of a monstrous, gigantic rebel army that has, 
unknown to us, crossed the Mississippi and come up 
the Arkansas and AVhite Eivers? Has a still heavier 
force thrown itself between us and our army? Is the 
Union armv we so latelv left even now cut off from 



Battle of Cache River. 135 

aiding lis? With our eyes steadily fixed upon the 
enemy in front, our ears are turned anxiously toward 
our own army to hear if the murderous air sliall 
bring to us the sound of their booming guns. But 
it matters little to us what the fate of others may be. 
It is now too late. Too well we know that the en- 
raged rebels have already suffered too severely and that 
now no terms will be asked or given. It is now a 
fight to the death. The thought that lii'e can be saved 
by a surrender is banished from every mind. To 
steal our way through the dark woods and deep 
swamps to our jSTorthern homes is impossible. We 
begin to gather in more compact form. There is a 
feeling that in a few moments our last cartridge will 
be fired and then all that will be left is to fix bayonets 
and with the cold steel do all we can as we rush to 
our doom. 

It is afterward learned that the Union troops have 
been so busily engaged and created such a continual 
racket in crossing Cache Eiver that they did not hear 
anything of oiir fierce fight. It was supposed that we 
would only advance some two or at most three miles 
at which distance a stubborn contest could be easily 
traced by the sound of the firing guns. Thus it was 
supposed that we were quietly lying in the woods, 
waitincr for the advance of the armv. Instead of that 
we had gone some seven or eight miles and were so 
far away that the guns they now and then heard were 
thought to be only idle shots fired at random into the 
woods to see if any strolling bands of rebels were try- 
ing to creep upon us. The first information the 
Union army had of our hot engagement was given by 



136 Army Life. 

one of our soldiers who had become completely 
demoralized at the first fire and ran back re])orting us 
all killed. In quick time a force of Union cavalry 
^vas galloping to our rescue. Of this we were not 
advised. 

Thus no reinforcements had reached us and the 
desperate rebels, chagrined, mortified, raving mad for 
the third time, with a fully organized force, came 
up on a desperate, sweeping, reckless cliargo. On 
they come with unbridled fur^^ AVe break into little 
bands among each thick cluster of trees and keep up 
a continued fire into the dense mass of advancing iocs. 
All of the former scenes are re-enacted now with re- 
doubled force. AVe turn and fire at rebels in our rear 
as often as we do at those in front. Upon each occa- 
sion we had been obliged to fall further back. AVe 
were now so near that the rebel charge through our 
line carried some of them within ransre of the <runs of 
the Wisconsin boys, who well and promptly improved 
their opportunity. Pressed by fire in front together 
with the shot we gave them in the rear those rebels 
who had passed our line rushed with headlong speed 
into the woods on our right as those who came before 
had done. Grand confusion now reigns. The woods 
are full of riderless horses, running here and there, 
racing and tearing, hardly more reckless or aimless 
than those yet guided by their rebel riders. Our 
ammunition is now nearly exhausted. Those entirely 
out borrow two or three cartridges of others, but none 
have much. The store of our wounded has been 
greedily taken by those who still can use their guns. 
Straining every nerve, firing with the utmost care we 



Battle of Cache Eiver. 18 T 

watch the result with vivid interest. Too well VvC 
know the fatal result that threatens us. A few sec- 
onds of this vital anxiety and then the rebel lines be- 
r.in to tremble, waver and then break, and those alive 
hasten away leaving the ground, even where we stand, 
strewn with their dead. Thus for the third time, a 
rebel charge in mass, has been repulsed and driven 
back. "We now have to fire at lono^ ran ore, careful to 
do so only wlien we h^e a good shot. If they come 
on us again, in solid mass, we are helpless. Every 
movement is quickly noticed. The rebels who have 
crossed our lines in their headlong career and been 
driven into the woods on our right, toward our main 
iirmy, are now seen to increase their hot speed toward 
the rear. Farther off, glimpses of the rebel cavalry, 
who have been watching upon the road, can be seen 
going fiercely toward their main command. Beyond 
these, still farther off, a cloud of dust is seen swelling 
u]) through and over the trees, and a moment more 
the glorious music of the rattling sabers of the 
Union cavalry is lieard and then we see their foaming 
horses as they come to our aid. Closely following 
the cav?.lry, as they come to our relief, we soon see 
tlie gleaming guns and hear the glad hurrah of our 
infantry boys. The soldiers of the Thirty-third Illi- 
nois and Eleventh Wisconsin had run those seven long 
miles on a hot Southern July day to relieve us, thcnr 
own comrades, and the battle is over. 



CHAPTEE X^^II. 



BATTLE OF BLACK PwIVER. 



Sunday morning, May 17, 1S63, found ns ready to 
move forward as soon as it was light enough to march. 
AVe were now given the advance. A rapid march 
brought US within sight of the rebel works at Black 
River. The outside picket guards were driven in 
without difficulty. 

The conditions for a stubborn defense were ample. 
The rebel position was a strong one. At this point 
Black Biver is a stream of considerable size. The 
wagon road to Yicksburg, as well as the railroad, here 
crosses the river. On the west side of Black Biver 
are some high bluffs. We were approaching from 
the east. "Why the Confederates did not select these 
biatfs on the west side of the river as the place for 
their fortifications, it is hard to tell; they probably 
thought the position cliosen preferable. It certainly 
was a mistake. Still, the place selected for their forti- 
fications was by no means a weak one. Had not the 
west bank of Black Biver furnished stronger natural 
positions, that selected by the rebels would have been 



216 Army Life. 

considered a wise selection. Some little distance from 
the east side of the main river was a channel of con- 
siderable width and depth. This virtually created an 
island, which lay between the main river and this 
channel or bayou. Tlie island was the place selected 
by the enemy for his fortitications. The island was of 
sufficient size, and the ground being comparatively 
level and unbroken, it was probably selected by tlie reb- 
els as a better place for the movement of troops than 
would liave been the uneven hills upon the west side 
of the river. As^ain, east of the bayou was a smooth 
valley varying from half a mile to a mile in width. 
As the attacking force would have to pass over this 
level ground, the rebels doubtless thought that they 
could easily destroy all who attempted to approach, 
before their works could be reached. 

A range of forts well supplied with heavy artillery 
liad been built along the east side of the bayou. 
These had been connected with a complete chain of 
breastworks for the enemy's infantry. Thus an at- 
tacking force would have to lirst charge over a wide 
space of level ground; then pass a deep and wide stream 
of water, and then climb the rebel fortifications upon 
the bank of the channel before they could reach the 
well fortified rebels. What possessed the enemy to 
waste so much valuable strength in fighting in the 
open woods upon Champion Hills when Black River, 
so near at hand, afi'orded them such superior positions 
of defense, is, indeed, a marvel. 

We were upon the skirmish line and consequently 
the first troops in sight of the enemy that morning. 
The position our company held was next to and upon 



Battle of Black Biver. 2517- 

the south side of the road running west toward Yicks- 
burg. This brought us in front of the center and 
strongest part of the enemy's works. The valley be- 
tween the rebel works and the small wood- covered 
hills was at this point a little over half of a mile in 
width. The valley at this point had been a culti- 
vated corn or cane field. The previous year's furrows 
ran parallel with the rebel works. The small hills 
back of this field w^ere covered with a thick growth 
of underbrush. Had the enemy been thoughtful and 
industrious enough to have cut and burned all of the 
small trees and brush upon these hills as far back as 
heavy artillery could reach, it would have been of un- 
told advantage to him. To our right the valley less- 
ened in width so that the ground covered with trees 
reached nearer to the rebel works. To our left it con- 
tinued to widen so that the rebel works upon that 
part of the line had at least a mile of level ground 
over which to fire. 

Our early morning call had evidently greatly sur- 
prised the indolent enemy. As we, upon the skir- 
mish line, came out of the woods and upon the level 
field in front of their works, we beheld wild confusion 
in the rebel lines. Evidently they had not yet all got 
up and finished their breakfast, much less formed 
into line ready to meet us. All were aroused and 
called into line. If we had been supported by a solid 
column, at that moment, we could no doubt have 
rushed over and taken the works before the enemy 
was prepared to defend them. But jnst then the Un- 
ion troops at hand were only those of a small skirmish 
line of barely sufticient strength to feel of the enemy. 



218 Akmy Life. 

From the ground we were upon, all of the move- 
ments of the enemy could be plainly noted. Officers 
mounted in hot haste and rushed among the rebel sol- 
diers to arouse and hurry them into position. Every 
movement of the enemy was plainly seen by us. We 
could note the strength of each rebel command and 
see to which part of the line it was sent. Probably 
no battle was ever before fought which was so com- 
pletely seen from its commencement to its end as was 
the battle of Black Kiver by those of us who were 
upon the advance skirmish line. 

To get as near to the rebel works as we did upon 
such ground was wonderful. For any of us to live 
through the fight that ensued, holding the position we 
did, was a miracle. Our ability to advance so close to 
them was no doubt largely owing to the confusion in 
the enemy's ranks caused by our early approach. 
The first firing of the rebels was fearfully wild. They 
seemed only to put the muzzles of their guns over 
their breastworks and fire into the air at random. 
Such firing is more apt to hit those far in the rear as 
the bullets fall to the ground, than to trouble those 
who, like us, are near at hand. Now and then a gun 
in the hands of a cool-headed rebel would be fired 
with more judgment at our line. A few were hit. I 
supposed that I was one of the unfortunate ones. A 
rifle ball passed near enough to " burn " my face. I 
then knew by experience how it was with so many 
others who for a moment supposed they were hit, 
when they were not. I plainly felt a hole cut 
through my cheek. That the passing bullet had cut 
a deep, long gash through the side of my face I did 



Battle of Black River. 219 

not doubt. I imniediatelj put up my hand to see 
how much of mj cheek was left, and to my glad sur- 
prise found that the bullet had simply grazed and not 
cut me. Those who have experienced both, insist 
that at the first moment, a bullet that passes near 
enough to "burn" by the " liot wind'' of a swift re- 
volving bullet, produces a much sharper sting than 
that caused by a direct shot. 

Our skirmish line pressed well forward, much far- 
ther than prudence would have peruiitted, and then 
each selected the best place he could find and lay 
upon the ground and commenced to load and fire as 
opportunity ofi"ered. Amidst thickly flying bullets it 
is surprising how small an elevation of ground a sol- 
dier can make available as breastwork. The rough 
plowing of the previous year's crop had left deep fur- 
rows and corresponding ridges, the best of which 
served us well during the hot fight in which we were 
eno^aired. The success with which a soldier can, under 
such circumstances, apparently sink into the ground 
and out of sight while loading his gun, can not be 
realized by those who have never seen it done. 

Some of our artillery were soon in place on the 
hills beliind us and commenced their work upon the 
enemy. The artillery was supported by the infantry 
columns. This heavy force on the higher ground in 
our rear soon claimed the entire attention of the rebels 
in our front. They no doubt also believed that all 
who had advanced on the skirmish line liad been 
killed. These things combined caused us to be neg- 
lected by the enemy so that we were at liberty to load 
and fire at pleasure and almost unmolested. While 



220 Army Life. . 

it, no doubt, did far more harm in the rebel ranks, 
still the few guns on the skirmish line attracted no 
attention when mingled with theliercefiringof the two 
contending armies. And then onr nearness to the rebel 
line made it difficult for them to look ov^er their works 
to take effective aim at us. Even when the condi- 
tions of the ground are favorable, the experience of 
war is that most of the firing done carries the balls 
high above the effective point. Situated as we were 
it was safe to calculate that the rebel bullets would 
pass above us. There being so much vacant space in 
the open air compared with the little space occupied 
by one individual, is the reason why so few are killed 
compared with the amount of lead shot in battle. 
The space occupied by a man is but a mere speck 
compared with all out doors, and there are a thousand 
chances to miss, to one to hit him with the ball of a 
random shot. 

Our artillery had a capital position. The hills 
upon which our cannon were placed were within 
easy range of the rebel works. Our gunners were 
much better marksmen than those handling the rebel 
artillery. The thick underbrush completely covered 
the movements of our men. An entire battery would 
be run into position under cover of the thick young 
trees, careful aim taken and then altogether com- 
mence a rapid fire upon the rebel works. As soon as 
the rebel artillery began to get their guns bearing on 
the spot our men would run their guns to another 
point and the first notice of the change the enemy- 
would get was another well-aimed volley. With dif- 
ferent batteries doing this and a fine range of favor- 



Battle of Black River. 221 

able ground to stand upon our artillery did most ef- 
fective work. With our sharp-shooters on the skir- 
mish line so near at hand to annoy every one who 
attempted to handle a rebel cannon, and our artillery- 
men so well improving their opportunities, the result 
of the artillery duel was favorable to the Union side. 
All things combined produced the strange result, 
that superior artillery protected by complete works 
was worsted by smaller guns in the open field. Dur- 
ing the fight many of the protected rebel guns were 
dismounted, while our artillery out in the open field 
escaped with but little harm. 

Thus the battle raged with our cannon in our rear, 
and the rebel guns in our front, both firing over us. 
We were fortunately low enough so that both sides 
fired their balls and shells above us. The smoke and 
confusion of the heavy contest also served to withdraw 
all attention from our skirmish line and left us free 
to use our trusty rifles to the best advantage. After 
the engagement had commenced in earnest, the great- 
est danger we were in was from imperfect shells which 
would burst on the way, and from faulty charges of 
powder or misdirected guns which now and then 
sent iron and lead to plow the ground where we lay. 

It would be useless to attempt to describe the ter- 
rific scenes of this fierce contest as viewed from the 
position we held between the two contending forces. 
The heavy battle smoke rapidly rising continually 
opened the entire scene to our view. Even in the 
hottest of the fight every move of the enemy could be 
noted by us. One rebel ofiicer, mounted upon a pow- 
erful white horse, attracted unusual attention. As he 



222 Army Life. 

tirst started at the beginning of tlie fight he appeared 
to be supported by a numerous staff. His daring was 
so reckless that he often became the mark our rifle- 
men aimed at. As time passed swiftly on, one by one 
of his assistants were seen to be disabled. He rode 
until the last of his staff had fallen or left the field, 
and still the rider upon the white horse, within range 
of our guns, continued to inspire the rebel soldiers. 
At last, as it became plain that the day was soon to 
be ours, a desire seemed to spring up to let the reck- 
less rider live, and he was permitted to ride away at 
the last unharmed. As the artillery battle reached 
its height, all incidents and individual matters were 
absorbed by the tierce grandeur of the terrific storm 
rao^inff around and above us. For a time the cannon in 
front of us, the cannon behind us, the cannon around 
us, thundered and roared and poured forth their fierce 
storm of fire and shot. Look to the front, look to the 
rear, look everywhere and the red-mouthed artillery 
seemed opened upon us. Above us was the black cloud 
of battle smoke, through which crashed and burst and 
screamed the murderous shell and ball. But few ever 
looked upon what we saw during that hour, and lived 
to tell the tale of the day's conflict. Imagination has 
often suggested that the grandest place from which to 
view a battle scene would be from a stationary balloon 
anchored high above the field of battle, and from 
thence to look down upon both contending forces. 
Even this would not prove equal to the position we 
held, because the rising smoke would then obscure the 
view, while with us, the dense cloud continually rose 



Battle of Black Eiver. 223 

so tliat we could look beneath it and see the entire 
fury of the fierce conflict. 

Altliongh the gigantic grandeur of tlie conflict was 
created bj tlie heavy artillery and tlie solid ranks of 
infantry in onr rear, still the most eflective work of 
tlie entire battle was done by the line of skirmishers, 
who, with their trusty rifles, had approached so near 
the rebel works. We held ouro^round durino: the en- 
tire battle. In fact it was better to do so than to 
have attemped to go back while so plainly within 
range of the rebel guns. I had a little experience in 
this. JSTear to me was John Spradling of our com- 
pany. A piece of bursting shell struck him in the 
side or top part of his hip inflicting a fearful wound. 
He supposed that it was fatal and told us that he 
would soon die. His wound bled badly but his 
strength remained so well that he soon thought that 
if he could get medical aid there might still be a 
chance for him to live. If death is inevitable a sol- 
dier will die without a single word of complaint. 
While there is hope of life he is anxious to improve 
it. Spradling became wildly anxious to get back 
where his wound could be attended to before he bled 
to death. He desired me to help him. It was a dan- 
gerous undertaking. The artillery on both sides was 
still firing rapidly. Standing up incurred more dan- 
ger from the balls and shells swiftly flying from both 
front and rear over our heads. The worst, however, 
was to slowly walk over so much exposed ground, and 
that in plain sight and range of the solid line of rebel 
riflemen. The hope was that they would not care to 
waste any shotB at a crippled soldif>r and his assistant, 



224: Army Life. 

going to the rear. 1 got oar wonnded comrade np and 
started. AVitli my gun fastened upon one shoulder — 
a soldier never abandons his gun — I lent my other 
shoulder and arm to the wounded man. He was so 
injured that practically he could use only one 
foot to assist in the walk. Going back in this condi- 
tion was slow and tedious. The hope of magnanimity 
on the part of tlie rebels was misplaced. We had not 
gone far before the screeching rifle ba,lls aimed at us 
commenced hissing by our ears. Spraclling knew that 
he would die if he stayed upon the field. Another 
ball could do no more than kill him. lie begged to go 
on. As a soldier who could yet be useful in front I 
ought not to have taken the chances. But who 
could withstand the pleading of a wounded soldier. 
And then who could tell what the result would be? 
The chances were even that he would be hit as soon 
as I. Then my mission toward the rear would be 
ended. A soldier's life makes all reckless of danger. 
All places in the midst of a fierce battle are danger- 
ous. "What great difference did it make, for us to go 
or stay? I told Spradling to brace up and we would 
continue until one or tlie other of us fell. It is not 
wild to say that, during our tedious journey, at least 
a thousand rifle balls aimed at us passed near, and, 
strange to say, neither of us was touched. There 
must have been some special Providence that protected 
us. With much difficulty I managed to get back over 
the open ground, reached the woods, dragged our 
wounded comrade up over the hill and then back until 
we met a squad with their white badges and a 
stretcher in whose hands T placed the wounded sol- 



Battle of Black Kivek. 225 

dier and who carried liim back to the field hospital 
where liis wounds could be dressed. 

Kelieved of our wounded soldier I turned and 
immediately went forward to rejoin my comrades. It 
is usual in such cases to remain with the main line 
and not hazard the attempt to reach tne skirmish 
line in front. Probably it would be more correct to 
state the fact that it is always usual in all battles for 
the entire skirmish line to fall back out of the way 
when the actual engagement commences. It was 
only owing to the peculiar condition of the ground 
upon which it w^as fought that in this battle we upon 
the skirmish line retained our advanced position and 
allowed the heavy firing to be done over our heads. 

Many indications told us that the battle would soon 
be ended. Most of the rebel cannon had been silenced. 
The rebel infantry began to exhibit evidences of 
uneasiness. I was anxious to be in at the end. To' 
go forward was of course far different from what 
my retreat had been. Being alone I could skip along 
lively. There was a chance to select the ground and 
now and then dodge behind some protection. In 
short, going back was not by any manner of means a 
matter of recklessness. 

My return had been none too soon. I had hardly 
reached our skirmish line when the last move in the 
battle of Black River was made. It was a brisk, sharp 
and successful charge upon the rebel works. This is 
how it happened: The woods to our right ran well 
down toward the rebel w^orks. Colonel Bailey of the 
Ninety-ninth Illinois — "old rough and ready num- 
ber two,'- General Benton had called him after tho 
15 



226 Army Life. 

battle of Magnolia Ilills — was with the advance. In 
their zeal the Union soldiers had pressed to the veroje 
of the woods which brought thein near to the rebel 
works. It became right hot for our boys so near to 
the enemy's lines. They had no orders to go farther; 
in fact, had already pushed on farther than orders had 
been given for them to go. The proper thing to have 
done was to have fallen back to a less exposed posi- 
tion. Colonel Bailey was one of those awkward offi- 
cers who could never learn military rules. His only 
idea of war was to pitch in and whip the enemy 
whenever and wherever he could be found. By his 
impetuosity lie became the hero of the day's battle. 
Had his unauthorized movement failed he would 
probably have been at least dismissed from the army. 
'No, he would not. Had it failed and he come out of 
it alive, he might have been tried by a court-martial, 
but that never would have happened. His rash act 
was bound to succeed or Colonel Bailey w^ould have 
been killed in the attempt. 

Findino^ it disao^reeable to be so near the rebel 
works and seeing the effective fire upon his soldiers, 
Colonel Bailey became fighting mad and yelled out 
in thundering tones that rang along the line: " Boys, 

it is getting too d hot here. Let us go for the 

the cussed rebels!" Before the last word was out of 
his mouth, with a drawn sword flashing in the air, he 
vras on a fierce run toward the rebel works. With a 
wild hurrah his entire command joined him in the 
wild race. Others to the right and left, without a 
moment's delay or a single command, joined in the 
mad career, and thus with wild cheers the entire 



Battle of Black Eiver. 227 

Union line joined in a charge upon the rebel works. 

Ti)e disheartened Confederates having already suf- 
fered so severel}^ and vividly remembering the fearful 
poundino; they had received the day before at Cham- 
pion Hills, at once gave up all hope of further defense 
and immediately abandoned their works, and were in 
a hot race to the rear before the Union troops had 
reached their lines. Crossing the bayou was no easy 
m atter. In front of part of our line the water was only 
breast deep; through this the soldiers easily waded, 
holding their guns and cartridge boxes above the water. 
In some places the stagnant water was covered with 
drift-wood. Here some would jump from one log to 
another like rabbits. In places where the water was 
more open a soldier running up would jump on to a 
floating log and the momentum of the fierce run would 
carry both him and the log across so that he could 
jump dry shod upon the other side, before the log he 
thus used for a boat commenced to turn wrong side up. 
In front of us the water was deeper and wider, but as 
good fortune would have it, the rebels had only removed 
the planks from the bridge, leaving the narrow string- 
ers still running over. Our company immediately 
jumped upon these stringers and ran across like squir- 
rels. The rest of the skirmish line followed, and thus 
the Thirty-third was soon all inside of the rebel works,' 
being the first troops inside the main part of the fort. 
Otlier troops came in hot haste. The rebels were gone. 
And the battle of Black Eiver was ended. 

A fine lot of rebel cannon was taken with the fort. 
Our boys had learned a little war experience from tlie 
figlit of the day before. As we drove the enemy from 



22 S Army Life, 

some of liis cannon at Champion Hills, vre rnslied 
forward witliout regard to the guns. When we after- 
ward sent back for them we found that the troops who 
had followed us had taken possession of the captured 
cannon, and were thus entitled to the credit of tlieir 
capture. The rule is, that if a command captures ar- 
tillery it must retain possession of it, or else the next 
command coming up will have the right to claim it. 
Infantry troops can not always carry captured artil- 
lery along with them, nor stop in the midst of a fight 
to retain possession of it. To provide for these and 
other difficulties that might arise, the established rule 
has become for the troops who capture a cannon to 
have one of their men " straddle" it, that is, sit upon 
it as though on horseback. Then the command can 
go to any other work at hand, and the one soldier 
npon the gun will be recognized by the entire army 
as in full possession of it. Thus one man for each 
piece of artillery is all the regiment need leave to re- 
tain possession of captured cannon. Of course, should 
any of the enemy return, the "straddling" is ended, 
and it is again a fight for possession of the guns. We 
had profited by the Champion Hills lesson, and the 
result was that the captured rebel forts were full of 
Thirty-third boys "straddling" the captured cannon. 
Tims we were credited with the capture of cannon 
enough to supply a good sized arm}^, and were more 
than made even for the loss of those we had neglected 
to " straddle " at Champion Hills. The captured guns 
came near being a burden to us, there were so many 
of them that they could not be disposed of at once, so 
an entire company of our regiment was detailed to 



YlCIvSBURG. 229 

take care of the captured guns until they could be 
properly disposed of. 

The rebels retreated across the river and went toward 
Yicksburg. One of their batteries took position upon 
the high bluffs on the west side of the river and fired 
a few rounds at us, but as soon as they saw one of our 
batteries getting into position to reply to them, they 
" limbered up" and scampered away. This was the last 
we saw of the rebels at Black River. 



CHAPTER XX. 



CHARGE UPON VICKSBURG. 



The charge upon Yicksburg was described in an 
address delivered in Lockport on July 4, 1866. As 
the journal from which this record is taken was drawn 
upon for part of that description, it can properly be 
given here: 

Some of iny friends have expressed a wish — per- 
haps most of you desire — that upon this occasion I 
should, as a soldier, give a brief picture of a battle 
scene. Such request I can not well disregard, yet I 
would prefer some more pleasant theme. 

Standing here as I do to-day, and remembering that 
this is not only the anniversary of our ISTational birth, 
but also that of a later event, how can I forget that 
three years ago I saw the surrender of Yicksburg. 

Those of us who were there can r.ever forget the 
time when v/e stood upon the immortal hills of Yicks- 
bursr. We can never foro^et the trving hours, the 
dreary days of that long, desperate, eventful and 
bloody conflict. And the desperate charge of tlie 
twenty-second of May! It can never be forgotten. 
How can it be portrayed? Words would fail to de- 
scribe the scene. One might as well try to paint on 



262 Ar^iy Life. 

canvas the fearful sound of roaring tliunder, as to at- 
tempt to fully describe a battle. 

Opposing armies lay confronting each other. The 
enemy was intrenched behind his seemingly invincible 
works. Nature's strongest fortifications had been im- 
proved, if improvement was possible, by the most elab- 
orate engineering skill. The high and steep hills made 
most directions of approach impossible. Through 
deep and narrow deliles converging toward the city 
were the only possible roads; and at the end of each 
of these an absolute guard seemed to have been placed 
in the shape of some stubborn hill from the hights of 
which frowned the red-mouthed artillery of the rebel 
battlements. Where can a comparison be found? 
Could you, my friends, by soaring off on fairy wings 
to other worlds, imagine a scene where the arch fiend 
of evil having been defeated had retreated to the high 
realms of his own domains, and there, with all the skill 
of his destroying genius, had invented a castle, the 
only approach to which was through long, deep and 
narrow defiles, in which only a narrow column could 
advance; the whole length of which was swept by the 
most destroying machines that satanic ingenuity could 
invent, you will then have some impression of what 
we met on our attack upon Yicksburg. 

Such as these were the conditions opposed to us 
upon that eventful morn of the twenty-second of May, 
when word was jjassed along the line that in one hour 
we w^ould charge the enemy's w^orks. 

The emotions caused by this announcement can 
not be explained by any natural passion of the human 
heart. No fear nor dread seemed to be coursing 



Charge upon Yicksburg. 2G3 

tlirongli the soldier's veins. It was not false indiifer- 
ence nor wild, consuming enthusiasm; all spoke 
calmly or thought quietly of the desperate contest in 
which they were soon to mingle, perhaps to die. 
Love tokens and short messages were left with tlie 
simple and seemingly almost indifferent request. " If 
I do not come back, send them home." Perhaps some 
of you, my friends, have some of those last tokens 
of remembrance; and all, yes, upon every heart 
throughout the land, there is, I know, impressed the 
token of kindest remembrance for some noble soldier 
who did not come back from the war. ]S"either could 
vaulting ambition nor lofty patriotism, nor wild, con- 
suming religious' zeal fully explain those strange 
emotions. It was as though some all-powerful spirit, 
like the ancient god of war, had come down and con- 
suuied the human hearts of those who once were men, 
'Not brutalized them — no! no, indeed! All were ten- 
derly kind to each other. And yet the fiery god had 
ch?jiged them so that all would march quietly on to 
death as though it was a higher aim to contribute to 
the jame of fiery Mars than to simply live a human 
life. A clear and pretty stream, clothed by imagi- 
nation with human life and thoughts courses sweetly, 
quietly on its way; leaping down the rugged hills, 
playing across the fertile valleys, laughing over the 
blooming meadows and passing through the golden 
fields; running on, on toward the grand and beautiful 
lake, or boundless ocean, by which it will soon be 
swallowed up and consumed. It approaches the end 
with a quiet dread and solemn regret that its indi- 
viduality is to be lost; yet it would not stay if it 



2Gtt Army Life. 

could, because it will soon fonn part of tliat greater 
and more mao^niiicent grandeur beyond. Is it some 
strange, nndefined emotion like tliis. that actuates the 
soldier when lie so willinglj marches on to death, and 
wliich the world, that through ages past, carelessly 
named the soldier's love of glory? Perhaps it is so; 
yet to those who judge according to tlie dictates of 
reason how r_!.range it is. Although I once, to s .'me 
extent, felt this strange spirit of war, yet as I am here 
to-day, in this pretty grove, surrounded by the cool, 
peaceful and pleasant influences of this hour, it all 
seems but as a dream, and 1 can understand it no mere 
than those who never saw a battle Held. 

The fated hour of ten arrived. Officers of higli 
rank seemed to have forgotten the usual words of mili- 
tary command. No formal commands of " Forward, 
march" were given. With drawn swords they started 
forth, simply saying, " Boys, come on, follow me." A 
moment more, and the hurricane of ruin burst upon 
ns, as with but one stroke of a sweeping, crusliing 
tornado. Witnin, what a rapid, seething sea of dea ;a 
were we now mingled. Even at this late day, Iharcdy 
dare, even in thouglit, to review that gorj^ scene ; nor 
could I do so if I would, for the terrible grandeur of 
that terrific conflict so completely drowned us witli 
its sweeping fury, that we were not able to appreciate 
its destructive powers. The thunder roar of ponder- 
ous artillery; the fiery flash of bursting shell and 
powder blast; the singing, screeching rifle balls ; the 
hoavy sulphurous clouds of battle smoke that envel- 
oped those murderous hills and deep valleys of the 
dead in one great, dark and mysterious sea of "firj^ 



Charge uroN Yickslukg 265 

and death, and ruin — all tliis combl!ied was a sceneof 
reality which could not be equaled except by trans- 
forming the scene of the first great battle; refbught, 
not beneath heaven's shining light, but amidst those 
clouds of darkness — darkness so d(;nse that it could 
be felt — that reigns throughout the realms of eternal 
night; — combine these two most graphic of human im- 
aginations; combine the fury of heaven's battle wiih 
the darkness of eternal death, and you will then have 
a picture of tlie realities of a battle scene. 

Deep ravines were filled with the bodies of fallen 
heroes, over which passed succeeding ranks. Still 
on, on pressed rank after rank until the rebel works 
were reached. Our comrades lay strewn upon the 
field behind us. Those left had not strength to 
surmount and hold the works upon which we were 
now contending. Both friend and foe were now upon 
the same range of hills, only separated by the narrow 
breastworks: and there, through ail tlie hours of that 
livelong day, the terrible conflict continued, in a bit- 
ter hand-to-hand contest. Thus the fury raged until 
nio;ht mercifully threw^ its mantle of darkness over 
the gory scene and then each of the contending par- 
ties returned to the lines from which they advanced 
to commence that unparalleled conflict. 

Such as these were the scenes through which we 
passed during our desperate charge upon Yicks- 
burg. Then during those long hours of night, as I 
stood, watching upon the borders of that gory field 
from which we had returned, and where so many 
loved comrades lay; in those dark hours of night, as 
the truth passed before me in thought, I could but ah 



266 Army Life. 

most doubt the realities of our own existence. Do we 
live in a world of truth, or within the dark realms of 
despair? Is this earth, or is it the place of eternal 
death? Were these beings before me men and l)roth- 
ers, or were they demons? Does God reign and are 
such things as these real? After many long and 
tedious days the glorious anniv^ersary of ourl^ational 
birth returned, bringing with it, as it ever does, the 
glorious shont of victory. On the fourth of July, 
Yicksburg fell. Then the feeling of joy in every 
heart, could be equaled in depth only by the anguish 
of those former days. Then throughout our lines 
every soldier's heart rose up in praise to heaven in 
thanks, that the cause of justice and right had tri- 
umphed, and that we could once more believe in the 
reign of a just God. 

A FEW INCIDENTS. 

During the siege of Yicksburg many amusing in- 
cidents occurred. A few will be recounted: 

One of our soldiers, an Irishman, was on guard 
one night in the front trenches. These advanced 
trenches ran so near to the enemy's line that the 
picket guards could at night, when it was still, talk 
across from their rifle pits. Discovering that Pat 
was easily annoyed, the rebel guards commenced 
blackguarding him. After plaguing him about 
other matters they began to tease him about the 
worthlessness of the shells fired from the Union mor- 
tars on the gun-boats. As a rule it must be admit- 
ted that these shells did no £:reat damage. Among 
other thino^s the rebels told Pat that "the onlv harm 



YxcKSBURG Incidents. 2G7 

the shells have yet done is to kill two mules and 
lame one old woman." Just then through some 
strange accident a shell happened to come from the 
river dropping and bursting among Pat's tormentors, 
injuring two or three and causing the balance to 
scamper for dear life. Ere the sound of the bursting 
shell had died away the shrill voice of Pat was heard 
crying: " There, ye infernal cusses, put that in ye 
haversack and chaw it, will ye, ye blathering black- 
guards." 

Another about the mortar shells is this: When 
General Bowine, the Confederate officer, first came 
out under a flag of truce, on the third of July, to treat 
for terms of surrender, he suggested that hostilities 
cease during the negotiations. The Union officers 
readily acquiesced, but mentioned the difficulty of get- 
ting orders to the gun-boats in time. "Oh, well," he 
replied, " that is of no consequence; never mind the 
gun-boats; they never harm us any." 

One day toward the end of the siege, one of the 
Confederates cried out to our soldiers, saying: " We 
are going to have a new General." " Ah, indeed," 
was the reply, " and who is he? " " General Starva- 
tion," coolly replied the comical Confederate soldier. 
To appreciate this it should be remembered that the 
rebel soldier was at the time almost starved; with 
him it was an empty stomach joke. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

FEOM NEW ORLEANS TO NEW YORK AND THENCE TO 
ILLINOIS. 

Saturday, September seventeenth, we were surprised 
by the sudden and unexpected orders to start at once 
for the North. A special train at once took us to 
Alo-iers. We immediately crossed the river to New 
Orleans. The reason for this sudden haste was this: 
a large number of Confederate prisoners were on 
hand and it was desired that we should guard them on 
the way to the North. We are to take the prisoners 
to New York and then go to our own State to be dis- 
charo-ed. There are over one hundred soldiers of the 
Thirty-third whose time has now expired, who will go 
with us. 

On Sunday, September eighteenth, we embarked on 
the steam propeller, Cassandra. We had some three 



From New Okleans to New Yokk. 401 

hundred prisoners. They were part of those capt- 
ured at Fort Morgan. They were very well clothed 
and the best looking set of Confederate soldiers I have 
yet seen. As we took thera through the streets from 
the prison to the ship, the Southern women came out 
to smile upon and wish the Confederate prisoners 
good-bye. This pleased the prisoners. We took the 
prisoners on board at three p. m. At five o'clock 
every thing was ready and we steamed down the river. 
At sunrise Monday morning w:?^ passed from the 
river to the gulf through the Southwest Pass and 
then turned southeast and sailed toward Key West. 
We had a pleasant sail Moiiday and Tuesday. 
Toward night on Tuesday the wind began to j-ise 
and through the night and the next day we had a 
rough sea. Manj^ of the boys became seasick. W-a 
reached Key West after dark Wednesday. We liad 
one passenger and some mail to land. Ac tlie yellov^^ 
fever is raging in Key Y7es^' T7e did not witjh to rm 
into port and laid outside until Thursday morni.vg. 
A small boat then took oui pasfjengers and the mail 
and we went on our way. At night we passed the 
last light-house we will see oa t??.e southern c,02st of 
Florida and turned to the nortk. The boys were 
greatly pleased when the boat commenced running to 
the north. It seems like going home when we can 
see the north star in our front. During our three 
years' sojourn in the south, with danger and death 
for our daily companions, often, in the dark night 
march, and still more frequently during tlie lonely 
night guard, the only steadfast guide we could see 
and know was the ever faithful north star, always 
26 



402 Akmy Life. 

sliining like a beacon li.^bt over our Northern nomes. 
Tims the north star, always reminding us of Northern 
liberty and the land of our birth, has become to us 
soldiers of the North, a well-known friend and faith- 
ful guide, and with glad hearts we follow in the patli 
it marks, knowing that every step taken, with its light 
in front, takes lis nearer home. Glorious star of the 
north; glorious land of iibert3% gladly do your sons 
follow the light of the one that guides them to the 
bosom of the other. 

Saturday and Sunday we had i. splendid sea with a 
good brisk wind in our rear which aided us to sail 
nicely. During part of the time enormous shoals of 
fishes followed us. It wa? ^. wonderful sight. 
Where could so many Ush come from ? Some of the 
boys declared that all the fish in the sea had assembled 
and come up to greet us on onr happy journey home. 
We passed Cape Hatteras during Sunday night and 
ran within sight of the Atlantic shore most of the day 
Monday. As we began to near the busy cities of the 
North we met with evidences of thei>. busy commerce 
by seeing many sails upon the water. 

On this trip I heard more politics than is usual 
with us in the arm3^ The services were very short. It 
consisted of this: Some of our soldiers had news- 
papers, part of which were given to the rebel prisoners, 
whom we kept guarded in their part of the boat. 
Among the papers given to them was one tliat sup- 
ported theDemocratic candidate for President, General 
McClellan, and contained a positive prediction of his 
election. This was read aloud by one of the Confed- 
erate prisoners to the others, and thereupon they all 



Upon the Atlantic Oceak. 403 

joined in loud cheers for General McCIellan. Upon 
hearing the rebels cheer for McCIellan the few Union 
soldiers who had intended to vote for him announced 
that they should vote for Lincoln. It was the eliortest 
and most effective political address I ever heard. A 
speech without words — simply three rebel yells — 
chano^ed all the McCIellan voters into Lincoln men. 

The weather remained fine and we had a pleasant 
run the rest of the way to New York. Reaching that 
place the first thing to do was to turn our prisoners 
over to the proper authorities. This done we landed 
in l^ew York City. Wednesday afternoon and even- 
ing we had a little time to run around the city, which 
we improved. 

Thursday, September twenty-ninth, we took the 
cars for the west at Jersey City. Passed through 
some fine towns and country. Faterson, as we saw it, 
appears to be a very pretty place. Goshen is the 
center of a splendid farming country. We passed 
through Ehnira during the night r..nd ran on to Hor- 
nellsville where we changed cars. We took the fore- 
noon train Friday, from this place, and ran through 
to Dunkirk. We arrived too late to make connection 
with the west bound train, and had to lay over 
and take the evening train for Cleveland. We rode 
all night and reached Cleveland at a late hour Satur- 
day morning. We were again too late to make con- 
nection and had to lay over in Cleveland for the after- 
noon train. Ran around and looked at the town a 
little. Yisited the water-works and a few other places. 
Cleveland is one of the prettiest cities I ever visited. 
At half- past two we started again and passed through 



404: Army Life. 

Oberlin and other thriving Ohio towns and reached 
Toledo at a h\te hour at night. Our afternoon ride gave 
us a tine view of some of the finest farming country 
in tlie- world. We stopped at Toledo, sleeping in the 
depot buildings over night. We remained in the 
city over Sunday. As it was our first opportunity 
for three h^ng years, a number of us attended church, 
in a peaceful land, Sunday forenoon. At niglit we 
got upon the cars and just before midnight started for 
Illinois. We passed through Fort Wayne during the 
night and reached Peru in time for breakfast. At the 
State Line we found the train of the Great Western 
waiting^ for us. Our cars were attached and we started 
forward and reached Camp Butler shortly after dark, 
Monday, October 3, 1864. 

Thus after three years' absence once again our feet 
are upon the soil of our own noble State. All hail 
to Illinois! Proud and noble State, your sons are as 
proud of you as you are justly proud of them. The 
land of our birth; the home of our youth; the hope 
of our future, gladly do we greet thee, our own prai- 
rie State. If the returning soldier boys stood erect, 
if they walked with a proud step, if their eyes 
beamed with glad satisfaction as they returned the 
cheers that greeted them on their return to Illinois, 
who can blame them ? In every battle from Missouri 
and Kentucky to tlie Southern gulf and even on to 
the borders of Mexico the soldiers of Illinois have 
been in the thickest of the fight. On every occasion 
the Illinois soldiers have added to the proud fam,e of 
the grand prairie State. JSTo matter how thickly came 
the iron and leaden hail from the rebel guns, the vol- 



Hail to Illinois! 405 

unteer soldiers from sister States never wavered when 
by their side they could see the ref^imental banners 
with Illinois written thereon. All knew that the Illi- 
nois part of the line would be maintained. 

With all of the long distance over which we have 
iriaiclied and desperate fields upon which we have 
fouglii, witb. the gallant Western army we have never 
left our wounded nor our dead to be handled or bur- 
ied by rebel hands. Upon all occasions we have 
taken care off yur own. We have never left a con- 
tested field e-;i;cept as victors. Fortune has been ex- 
ceedingly kind to us, and we return to our own State 
at her capital, to lay down unsullied the proud coin- 
niissioTi she gave y.B to serve as part of her volunteer 
soldiery. G^^and. -^^nd noble State of Illinois! May 
her sons through r;.ll oime sustain the record made in 
the years of 1861-62-63 and '64. All hail to the 
State of Ii]ir,->3s; 



CHAPTER XXXIIL 

THE END OF MY SOLDIER LIFE — HOME AGAIN. 



ir UlS- 



There was some delay in the making out of oui 
charge papers, which gave us an opportunity to visit 
the city of Springfield and other points of interest in 
the vicinity of Camp Butler. 

On Wednesday, October fifth, some of us attended 
a oTcat mass- meeting of those who favor the re-elec- 



406 Akmy Life. 

tion of Lincoln. I saw Governor Yates, Judge Trum- 
bnll,. Senator Doolittle, Generals Logan, Palmer and 
Oglesbj, Deacon Bross, Colonel Ingersoll and other 
speakers. Met Lieutenant Fyffe of Company A, and 
M. J. '^JQ, a former member of our company. 

Edward Pike, the orderly sergeant of Company A, 
whose term expires and who came home with us, be- 
came so unwell that he had to be taken to the camp 
hospital. 

Sunday, October ninth, the One Hundred and 
Thirty-eighth Illinois came into Camp Butler, having 
just returned from Western Missouri. My brother 
Griffin was with them. This was the first time I had 
scci- him, a' .:.n\ of my relatives, for over three years. 
He had growTi «:en&iderable since I saw him last. 
Then he was a little boy, now he is a young soldier. 

Monday, Octobei eleventh, the mustering officer 
cilled the roll of our detachment, and then in formal 
manner pronounced the words: ^' You are now honor- 
ably discharged from the service of the army of the 
United States of America." 

Tlie only th/o^c now to do was to wait for the pay- 
master and 'Jien go home. Those who lived near 
e)iouj>'h to Bprinp^fieid went to their homes immedi- 
ately; those of us whose homes were too far away 
remained. The paymaster was slow in coming, caus- 
ing us to wait longer than we expected. 

I spent moc-t of the day, the following Wednes- 
day, in Springfield, and in the afternoon returned to 
Camp Butler. I was ranch surprised to there meet 
two more of ni)^ brothers in camp, Kalph and Webb. 
The}^ had lately enlisted in a new company that was 



In Camp Butler, October, 1S»i4:. 407 

organizing to join the old Twentietli Illinois. The 
first had served for a time in the One Hundredth Illi- 
nois and was now retnrning to the army. The latter, 
who was jonnger, had grown up, so as to be large 
enongh to be a soldier since I left home in 1861. 
Both were buoyant and happy. 

A few months afterward a sadder page wr,^ ]n^ro 
inserted: Of us four brothers wn;. ^lad thus liap- 
pened to meet as soldiers in Gamp Sutier, Webb, the 
poor boy, was the only -one who was desr-ned to fill a 
soldier's grave. He was stricken :lo\\n, while in 
Camp Butler, with that fearful scourge oi the army, 
typhoid fever. He was brought home sicii, but all 
assistance was in vain. He died and was buried in the 
little country grave-yard near our farm home. He 
was the pride of the family. His strength of mind 
was never excelled by one of his years. Knowing 
him as I did, and fully appreciating how such men- 
tal activity as he possessed, unfitted one of his tender 
years for the physical hardships of soldier life, 1 
had often written to dissuade him from joining the 
army. He ought to have remained at school. But 
the spirit of soldier ancestors was too strong, and he, 
like the rest, was bound to be a soldier before the war 
ended. He joined the army and was mustered out by 
death, and all that is left of our briglitest hovci i? 0'.> 
revere the memory of our young soldier broiner, Ed- 
win Webb Marshall, who died on January 2'±, 13G5. 

On Monda}^, October seventeenth, I went into the 
city, and, at head-quarters, found that the Umted States 
])ayniaster would be on hand the next day. 1 isle- 
graphed toBloomington and Carlinville, for the Thirty- 



408 Army Life. 

tliird boys to return. This was my last cpportuDity 
to serve my old comrades as soldiers. I went i;o Camp 
Butler, packed up my personal traps and then went to 
Spriui^deld and stayed at the hotel over night. This 
was the first time I had slept in a bed, othe- than one 
made out of my soldier blankets, since 1 left iiome in 
1861. 

On Tuesday we met at Camp Butler; the Govern- 
ment paymaster paid us the balance our due, we bid 
farewell to our comrades, and each started for his own 
home. I took the night train on the Chicago & Alton 
iioinff north and reached Joliet at an early hour the 
next morning. Here I took the morning train on the 
Chicago & Kock Island railroad, and ran up to Mo- 
kena. From there I walked across the fields to tlie 
township of New Lenox and was soon upon the old 
home farm, upon which I was born; and thus I 
reached home on Wednesday, October 19, 1864. 
The first one I met was little sister Mary — how she 
had grown while I was away. The little girl was 
out in the field trying to do what she could, attending 
to the farm stock, as her big brocnt^rs were all away 
soldiering. It is not strange that it was difficult for 
me to recognize her. I liad never xhoaghtof the lit- 
tle puss only as for her brothers w tease and play 
with — ^just big enough for us to throw up and catch, 
as a ball, when playing with her. 

The youngest of the family, little George, he, too, 
had grown and now was quite a large boy, had his 
team in the field, commencing to gather the fall crop 
of corn. Having come on the first train, my early 
arrival was taking those at home somewhat by sui-- 



^ Home Again. 409 

prise. At the house, both busily engaged, I found 
sister Sarah — our oldest sister, whose frequent home 
letters had so often gladdened uie daring the past, 
three long years — and our mother— a mother, who, 
manv, many long years ago, had been left a widow, 
with two little girls and live small boys to care for. 
All of her boys who were old enough had taken a part 
as soldiers, and now the prospect was fair that the 
end would come and she not be called upon to make 
her sacrifice. Upon this day a happy mother was she. 
Her greeting, to me, will not be described. 

Wednesday, the day of my arrival, was a home visit. 
The next day the neighbors, hearing of my return, 
dropped in, one after another, to talk with and ask a 
thousand questions of army life. 1 was glad to meet 
ind greet them all. And yet, sad greetings some of 
them were. Now and then, when the Jionest old 
farmer, his white-haired wife, or other kind neighbors 
grasped my hand, I could see tears mingled with the 
joyous words. Tlie tale the tears told did not need to 
be explained in words. Too well I knew, that in the 
neighbor's home there was a vacant chair that never 
would again be filled. Many of the boys with whom 
1 had joined in many a wild" play at the little old log 
scliool Louse, in thj edge of the woods, with whom I 
had worl;ed. ana rambled over the prairie land, with 
whom I had passed manj^along, jolly night in the 
wild woods, lunching upon roasted, green corn and 
ripe appke gatntied by the way, while hunting vvdld 
raccoons and other game; with whom I had robbed my 
own melon patch as well as theirs in turn, many of 
these boys had gone to the war never to return. 



410 Army Life. 

Thus was sorrow mixed with joy. Cuuid I have 
said to each honest old father, to each fond mother, to 
each devoted wife, to each loving sister, brother, child 
and s'.vx'ctlieart: "Your soldier has lived to return from 
the war,'' these hours of my return home would have 
been the l-appiest of my life. 

But for the sorrow it brings, every young man 
could well commence his worldly career by spending 
three years in army life. 



ARMY LIFE. 



Opinions of Statesmen and the Press, 

Hon. E. B. Washbukne: You have occupied ground that has 
never before been covered. 

Hon. John Wentworth : It deserves, and I doubt not will 
receive, a liberal patronage from the public. 

Hon. S. M. Cullom, U. S. Senator: Your sketches possess an 
interest that does not attach to many more pretentious histories of 
the late war. 

Gen. J. L. Beveridge, Ex-Gov. of 111.: Your book is to the 
military what Pilgrim's Progress is to the Christian world. 

Hon. T. S. Casey, Judge of Appellate Court: Honestly, it is 
many a day since I read a book I really enjoyed as much. 

Judge Josiah McRoberts : I am highly pleased with it. The 
portrayal of the investment and final reduction of Vicksburg gives 
the reader a clearer idea of that memorable conflict than anything 
heretofore published. 

Hon. Isaac N. Arnold: It is a really valuable contribution to 
the history of the war. 

Hon. James McCartney, Attorney General of Illinois: 1 am 
glad that a private soldier has been found who can fairly give his 
experiences and views of the war. I can commend your book. 

Gen. Chas. E. Hoyey: Its perusal will set us all to fighting 
our battles over again. 

Col. E. R. Roe: Your description of the battle of the Cache is 
perfect as a photograph. It is truthful, graphic and most thrilling. 

Judge Benj. Olin: The book is replete with graphic descrip- 
tions of camp life, army incidents, and battle scenes. 

Gen. I. H. Elliott: I think it exceedinarly well written, and 
a faithful portraiture of the experiences ol' the 33d. 

(411) 



412 Army Life. 

Capt. J. H. BuiiNHAvi: It seems to me that your work is a 
success, from every point of view. 

Capt. C A. Hill: It is the most vivid picture of the real life 
of the vohmteer soldier — the best 1 have seen. 

E. M. Pike: I prize the book far above a money considera- 
tion. 

Seth Turner: I believe the average boy will learn more of 
the real history oi' the Rebellion by reading it, than by a six 
months' term at the text books. 

Hon. Henry Snapp: A copy ought to be found in every family 
in the land. It will do good. 

Hon. John Reid : I think the book will be very popular among 
old soldiers and young men of military inclinations. 

Hon. J. W. FiFER: My interest in the book did not abate 
from first to last; I unhesitatingly pronounced it one of the most 
interesting stories I ever read. 

RoBT. Clow, Circuit Clerk, Will Co. : Any one commencing to 
read in can scarcely lay it aside until the last page is read. 

E. C. Hager: In language, it is plain and simple; in interest, 
intense and absorbing. 

Capt. Egbert Phelps: I have not yet seen a portfolio of 
word pictures portraying the army life of a private soldier in 
such vivid and life-like manner. 



WHAT THE NEWSPAPERS SAY. 



Joliet Daily News: It is like a panorama. 

Ottawa Republican: It is well worth any person's perusal. 

Braidwood Sif tings : The book is very interesting. 

Chicago Evening Journal : The volume is full of incidents, an- 
ecdotes and adventures. The general reader will find the work 
quite interesting. 

Joliet Republic-Sun: The book abounds in graphic descrip- 
tions. 

Joliet Press: It touches many tender chords, many times ex- 
cites mirth, and many times brings the tears. 



Opiniois^s of TPiE Pkess. 413 

Morris Herald: The book will be of interest to ail who took 
part in the war, or had friends engaged therein. 

Ottawa Journal : ''Army Life" is replete with graphic de- 
scriptions of many battles, witnessed and experienced by the au- 
thor. 

Joliet Record; The book is well written, and will be read with 
interest by all old soldiers, and bj' people generally. 

Ottawa Daily Times : It is in many respects the strongest por- 
trayal of the private soldier life yet written. It breathes patriot- 
ism on every page, and every growing boy in the land should 
read it. 

The Globe: "Army Life " is receiving high praises from all 
quarters. 

Chicago Inter-Ocean : It is as good an epitome of every day 
life in the army as we have at any time read. 

Joliet News: Wlien the pages haunt us for days after perusal, 
we consider it the best indication of an entertaining book. 

Joliet Signal: It is replete with pleasing reminiscences, given 
in an easy style, that does great credit to the author. 

Chicago Daily News: It is a picture of a private soldier's army 
life, and is told in a simple yet graphic style. The plain but feel- 
ing manner in which Mr. Marshall narrates his story tells how 
near his heart was to his pen when he wrote it. 

Bloomington Bulletin: The book is a description of the life of 
a private soldier, from 1861 to 1864, and is full of incidents. 

Wilmington Advocate: It carried us right back twenty years. 

Ottawa Free-Trader: The book is one of uncommon interest. 

Lockport Phoenix: The scenes in "Army Life " are so well 
painted that the reader can fully understand every feature. 

Bloomington Leader: It contains many interesting anecdotes. 

Peotone Advance: The book should be in every soldier's libra- 
ry, as well as others. 

Chicago Legal News: It is the story of an intelligent private 
soldier, written by himself at the time, in an amusing and enter- 
taining style. 

Chicago Times: To the citizen, to the student of history, and, 
indirectly, to the politician, it offers much reading of interest. It 
is a volume that will hold the reader's interest closely. 

Bloomington Pantagraph: It is a valuable addition to the his- 



414 Army Life. 

tory of the war, because it tells the story of a soldier's life just as it 
happened, in the language and thoughts of the private soldier. 

Marseilles Register: Charming and thrilling from beginning 
to end. 

ISTaperville Clarion: Every family ought to have one. 

Kankakee Gazette: More interesting than any novel ever 
written. 

Kendall County Record : One of the most truthful and enter- 
taining war books yet published. 

Morris Daily News: A practicable work, written in a practica- 
ble and highly interesting manner by a practicable man of much 
literary and intellectual breadth. 

Marseilles Plaindealer: We have yet to see a more glowing 
and graphic record. 

Washington National Tribune: One of the most interesting 
and valuable contributions that has yet been made to the litera- 
ture of the war. 

Chictigo Tribune : His description of the battles and sieges he 
and his comrades fought are graphic and eloquent. 

Marshalltown Times-Republican: There is not a more readable 
book published. 

Louisville Courier-Journal : A well told story, of what a sol- 
dier saw and did. 



JOLIET, 111., Oct. 1, 1886. 
To the Beader: It has been said that one of the best ways of 
becoming acquainted with a man is to read what he has written. 
If, after reading these detached pages of "Army Life" you feel 
free to speak a good word for me as a candidate for County Judge, 
at the coming election, I will be mucn pleased. If you do not, I 
still desire to extend the hand of friendship to one and all of my 
Will County friends. If elected, I will be much pleased; if 
defeated, I shall not waste any time in idle regrets. 
Yours Respectfully, 

Albert 0. Marshall. 



